Doctor Who: When The Dark Suns Rise
by steve1399
Summary: A future Doctor and his companion, Jocasta Gold, race through time and space in an attempt to save the galaxy from destruction. But this is only the beginning as nightmares from the Doctor's past return to plague him once again.
1. Chapter 1

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE **

**PART ONE**

**CHAPTER ONE**

Moonrise was such a competitive affair on Illium IV, Jocasta thought, as she scanned the pink heavens for lunar sightings. The sun was only just setting and already two purple moons were low in the sky with another three on the way. It would have been quite simple if each glowing satellite had introduced itself with a minimum of fuss every hour or so but no, these great show-offs were bubbling over the horizon all through the beautiful sunset like a chorus line getting in the way of the star turn. Black, purple and green blots on a fevered sky, bumping and barging their way into the limelight.

Illium IV was a strange place, she considered. It was just as the Tardis databanks had predicted. A busy little planet with busy moons in a busy solar system that hurtled through an otherwise indifferent galaxy like there was no tomorrow. This, the Doctor had pointed out in his serious voice, might well be the case here. Mainly because, he had added, all of those seven inhabited planets obsessed in their hectic orbits had been so wrapped up in their own industrious scurrying through space that they had failed entirely to notice their old sun had tired of the performance and had decided to implode.

Jocasta stood up from her comfortable repose on the grassy hillside and looked around for the nearest path back through the park. She had tired of her moongazing and knew that if she didn't get a move on, the Doctor would be texting endless impatient messages to her phone as if the impending supernova was only minutes away. Not only that, the good folk of Illium IV, who were hurrying about her like colony ants, would probably all suffer simultaneous heart attacks unless she showed a little more hustle. People of this world were constantly in motion and could not stand to see someone lying inert as she had been; not contributing to the daily endeavour.

Her phone rang and, of course, it was the Doctor.

"Joke, where are you?"

"How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?" the girl erupted, giving a passer-by a jolt.

"Yes..yes.. I'm sorry, Jocasta. Now if you have finished with your studies in astronomy, you need to get back to the Tardis. You could just as easily have watched the moonrise from here, you know," the Doctor sounded irritated.

Jocasta put on her own annoyed voice. "Typical! Every time I go out for a bit of healthy fresh air, you tell me that I should have stayed inside. You should try it yourself, you know. You look a little pasty. If the world had been about to end then we would be rushing around the planet in all weathers."

"Yes..well..that may actually be happening so get back here now," the Doctor instructed.

"Just what the Doctor ordered," she replied acidly.

Before either one of them could utter another word, there was a great flare across the sky like a massive bolt of lightning only green. This was followed by several more of increasing intensity causing the whole sky to flash like the illuminated facets of a mighty emerald. Even the bustling citizens of Illium IV paused for a second in their endless pursuits to look up at the spectacle. Only for a second though. It would take more than a dying star and its abnormal sunsets to interfere with their routine. When the ground shuddered beneath her feet, she had to hold out her arms like a tightrope walker to stay balanced.

"Jocasta! You have to hurry," the Doctor shouted down the phone.

"I'm hurrying! I'm hurrying!" she yelled back and snapped the handset shut before setting off at a run towards the city.

The park in which she had been relaxing was a small, largely treeless area that centred on a single hill from which she had surveyed the firmament. The resulting return journey then was downhill all the way on to the main avenue which led to the city streets. Jocasta had no idea why these people even needed a park as not one of them ever stopped long enough to enjoy it. Still, the ground was soft under her feet as she ran and the evening air was cool with the metallic aroma that so often followed lightning strikes.

The running didn't bother her. She was used to it with the Doctor. She stretched out her long legs in easy strides and pushed her honey blond hair from her face. It felt slightly damp on her neck due to mild perspiration brought on by the humid air and the sudden exercise. Her skin was smooth and tanned from the years spent in the bright sunlight of her home world and her round, hazel eyes were a gift from her mother. It was from her father that she inherited her athletic physique although she had always been active ever since she was a child.

Despite the fact that she ran almost everywhere with the Doctor, she had discovered a small gymnasium inside the Tardis which she used on a regular basis. It wouldn't do to be puffing along behind the infuriatingly fit Doctor with one of the new super-swift Daleks on your tail. Or, for that matter, a collapsing sun in the vicinity. Another flashing discharge crackled above her head, this time accompanied by the loudest boom of thunder that she had ever heard.

Back at street level, she turned towards the main precinct where crowds of intent Illiums scuttled along in orderly lines like marching insects. Even the buildings looked like termite mounds. In agile leaps, she zigzagged between the disciplined groups, receiving many dark, aggravated stares for her unruly behaviour. Jocasta didn't care. The Tardis was only a few streets away and if the assembly of scowling, mauve clouds was anything to go by, she would be hard pressed to miss the imminent storm. More tremors rumbled around her as she ran.

Past the beehive-shaped library she sprinted. Into a small square and then up and over the bollards placed to prevent traffic entering the pedestrian district. Around a sharp corner, she plunged on, relishing the invigorating exercise. Through another procession of walkers and then up several steps to a parade of shops.


	2. Chapter 2

Jocasta felt the first few drops of moisture strike her face as she tipped her head upwards and gasped for air. More work on the treadmill was in order, she thought, as she raced around a narrow bend. And then all notions of fatigue left her as she spotted the familiar blue box standing alone by a statue of some unknown hero.

Jocasta did not stop to admire this gallant figure. She only had eyes for the Tardis. The recently repaired chameleon circuits, always alert to the local environment, made it appear to be a closed-down newspaper stand to any curious pedestrian but she was not fooled for a moment. As she ran up towards the blue box, she was tempted to click her fingers as she had seen the Doctor do on occasion to open the door but immediately decided against it. Being a relative newcomer to time travel, it seemed a little presumptuous and indeed dangerous to offend the Tardis.

With her key in the door, she pushed forward and was just about inside before a biblical torrent of rain fell behind her. Another epic peal of thunder burst across the sky but was soon shut off by the thick, soundproofed door. Jocasta wiped the sweat from her brow and looked around for the Doctor. She found him lying straight-backed on the Tardis floor as still and stiff as a corpse.

"Doctor!" she cried as she ran swiftly to his side.

He looked taller lying down, she thought, although he normally stood over six feet with the assistance of the western leather boots he so loved. His dark trousers were slightly too tight which made him appear lean, even marginally undernourished. The loose white shirt with the drawstring neck and high collar reminded Jocasta of the illustrations of sea corsairs she had seen in her books as a child but it was the long, dark coat that was currently splayed like batwings beneath him that lent him a vaguely piratical air.

The Doctor opened his green eyes. "It's alright, nothing to worry about."

"Then why are you laying spark out on the floor?" Jocasta yelled, half way between relief and anger.

"I am not "spark out" as you so colourfully put it," he replied indignantly." My mind is as clear as a bell. Unfortunately, I was bitten by a Graaven Sky Wasp while I was out in your highly recommended fresh air and now I'm paralysed from the neck downwards. I only just made it back to the Tardis before the venom struck."

Jocasta couldn't help issuing a disdainful laugh. "You were stung by a wasp? I don't believe it! Cybermen! Daleks! Hear this! Forget your grand weapons of mass destruction. To defeat your arch-enemy, just bring a wasp."

"Laugh all you like, Joke, but you won't find things so funny in a minute," the Doctor said in a sour voice.

"What do you mean?" she asked, immediately sobered by the remark. "What's happening in a minute?"

It was the Doctor's turn to laugh. "Well, the poor old sun in its death throes has emitted a huge solar flare that will arrive at this planet in about seven minutes. The Government here will erect a shield to protect themselves."

"That's good, isn't it?"

"Good for them, bad for us. It's a Gravity Pulse Generator that powers the shield. It will throw off any alien power sources it encounters on the planet's surface to ensure a worldwide consistency and continuity. Any anomalous radiation will cause breaches. Even the Tardis will be hurled into space."

"So, we've been in space before. The solar flare can't harm the Tardis," said Jocasta, wondering what the fuss was about.

The Doctor's green eyes twinkled. "Normally that would be true but I was making some repairs to the force fields when I stepped out for some "fresh air". That was when the wasp attacked. Not all of the fields have been turned back on and now I am not in a position to do it. We can survive in space but not the solar flare."

"How much time have we got?"

"Ooh... about four minutes."

"Tell me how to turn the force fields back on."

"I can't, but I can tell you the next best thing."

Jocasta jumped up and stared about her. "So what do I have to do?"

The Doctor would have clapped his hands if he could. "Not a lot really. Just press the blue button."

"OK, done. Now what?" she said breathlessly.

"Prepare for your first driving lesson. We're getting out of here," shouted the Doctor as the wheezing engines came online and fired.

Jocasta was not an expert on Tardis sounds. She knew the asthmatic engines were immensely powerful machines that may sound a touch under the weather at times but were actually in tip top condition. The Doctor was in one of his tinkering phases and had spent some considerable time of late poking and prodding at parts of the Tardis that hadn't been touched in more than five hundred years. She had heard the whining protests of delicate devices echoing through the distant conduits and wondered if being bigger on the inside meant that there was just so much more to go wrong.

At that moment, something definitely wasn't right because despite being the ultimate learner driver, even she could tell that a kangaroo jumping Tardis was not good. She had been proud of herself when she had managed to follow the Doctor's frankly, quite rude instructions to navigate the Tardis away from Illium IV and its volatile sun. Now they were limping out of the way of a particle shock wave that would incapacitate them or worse if it should catch up.

"One minute!" the Doctor roared from his still supine position on the floor.

Jocasta stamped her foot in frustration. "I'm trying, Doctor. The what's-its-name manifold isn't linking with the thingy with the red handle."

"That is totally meaningless, Jocasta. Oh, and thirty seconds!"

"Wait! I have an idea," she shouted.

"No! Don't!" he shouted back but not loud enough.


	3. Chapter 3

For a novice, she certainly managed to hit a lot of buttons very quickly. The Doctor's urgent commands were lost in the noise of her own mind as she frantically brushed the grey pad, pulled the yellow handle and finally kicked what she hoped was the Go pedal. Whether that was the correct sequence or not would become clear in about ten seconds. She counted down in her head. Seven...six... five...four...three...oh wait, press the red one...zero.

Jocasta waited for the Tardis to groan its displeasure at not only her clumsy attempts to guide it behind the large fifth moon of Illium VII and so take shelter from the wave but also her abject failure to do just that and the resulting electromagnetic failure. Her eyes remained closed but her other senses told the story. No sirens burst her eardrums which she hoped was a sign that nothing was wrong and not that everything had gone wrong. No smell of burning wires, or flesh for that matter, reached her nostrils so that was good too. She opened her eyes slowly and to her great surprise, everything was as she had left it.

Well, nearly everything. The Doctor was up on his feet again apparently none the worse for his battle with the wasp and the near destruction of the Tardis. Jocasta noticed that his dark hair, unruly at the best of times, was in need of cutting and although it unquestionably added to his swashbuckling appearance, she thought it made him look rather young. Certainly no more than six hundred years old anyway.

He didn't look at her as she walked gingerly around to where he was making a series of technical adjustments to the navigation console with one hand while greedily gulping a sparkling lime green liquid from a half empty glass with the other. When he had finished both tasks, he placed the empty tumbler in a reprocessing chute and turned towards her with an unconcerned expression.

"Kiwi cordial with eighty-three molecules of wild Spacespice," he explained. "Perfect remedy for the Hundred Year Plague and insect bites. Never go anywhere without it. Just takes a while to work, that's all."

Jocasta waited patiently without commenting on his miraculous recovery. She stayed quiet as he enthused about the effectiveness of the Illium's shield and the continued, if temporary, survival of their world. It was only when he dared to suggest that all the recent diligent repairs and improvements he had made to the Tardis was the main reason for their own spectacular escape did she blow her top.

"Don't you even think about it!" she exclaimed in a piercing tone.

The Doctor stared at his young companion. "What's wrong with you?"

"I'll tell you what's wrong with me, mister all-knowing, all-seeing Time Lord," she cried, her dark eyes flaring like a forest fire. "I just saved your sorry butt and you are trying to take all the credit. If I hadn't steered the Tardis around the back of that moon and out of the way of the solar flare, we wouldn't be here talking about it now."

"Oh that!" he replied, pushing strands his dark hair from his forehead. "Well, I knew that you were a good listener and would be competent enough to follow my instructions. Never doubted you for a moment. Now, there is something I need you to do for me."

With that extraordinary piece of typical Time Lord arrogance still ringing in her ears, Jocasta trailed along in the Doctor's wake in angry silence. Just because he had two hearts, she fumed, didn't mean she couldn't find two knives. When he stopped at an area of the console that she had never seen operated before, some of the rage drained away as he started to explain what he wanted her to do.

"Now that I know you won't touch anything vital without permission, I need you to keep a steady hand on this dial and watch this screen. If the needle goes above eight thousand, twist the dial to the left. If it drops below three, turn back to the right. Have you got that?"

Jocasta's heavy-lidded glare told him that she had.

"This screen says "Solar Depth Counter", she observed. "What's that all about?"

The Doctor gave her one of his enigmatic little smiles. "It will tell us how much stress we are under as we travel."

"Travel where?"

"Oh, didn't I say? I want to take a look at the heart of that sun. We will have to go inside. It will be a good test for my new and improved heat shields."

Jocasta raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Set the controls for the heart of the sun. Nice. Didn't realise you were a Pink Floyd man."

"I was there when they wrote it. Having spent some time on the floor Comfortably Numb and then you took us to The Dark Side of the Moon, I felt a theme coming on. Now don't take your eyes off that dial," the Doctor said, his wide smile in smug mode.

The Tardis rumbled a little as it passed through the sun's photosphere and encountered temperatures in excess of five thousand degrees Celsius. The heavily filtered scanners allowed Jocasta her first sight of the inside of a star and she couldn't help wondering whether the blues, greens and purples in evidence were really there or just the computer's approximation. Whatever the case, the whirls of rippling plasma that surrounded them were some of the most beautiful things she had ever seen.

As she stared out at the oceans of white-hot gases lapping up against the force fields, she was fondly reminded of her indolent youth spent on the crisp, tropical beaches of the island planet, New Bermuda; a zillion miles away now. The images were pleasant but distracting her from her screen which was reading in the high six thousands and rising. The dial was calibrated in S.G.U's which she supposed were Solar Gravity Units but it could quiet easily be Star Gas Uncertainties or Stellar Generation Upsets; the Tardis had her own way of doing things.


	4. Chapter 4

Jocasta giggled quietly at her use of the feminine pronoun. After their unquestionable bonding during the race to take cover behind the moon, she now thought of them as sisters united against the forces of Time Lord chauvinism. From the other side of the console, she heard what she assumed was a Gallifreyan curse and then a thump on the control panel. The Doctor's head appeared wrapped in a nest of coloured wiring and his lop-sided grin suggested another DIY triumph.

"Fixed!" he crowed, confirming her surmise

"The shield circuits?"

"Nope. Air conditioning."

Jocasta laughed out loud and then went back to her screen. There was no change in the readings but on the overhead monitor which was displaying the course ahead, something bright and twinkling was standing out above the sun's glare. Strange, she thought idly. The filters would normally reduce any particularly hot patches into background radiation but this one was intensifying if anything. She stood up on tiptoes to get closer to the screen as if this might resolve the image into more detail. It didn't, so she decided to remain patient.

After three minutes, her patience had run out. A quick search of the monitor controls revealed a fine tune option which she twiddled backwards and forwards until the picture zoomed in and sharpened. What she saw was not what she had been expecting to find at the centre of the sun. Jocasta played around a bit more with the tuner but still the image remained. It was a massive crystal, about three hundred feet in diameter if the readout was to be believed and in the shape of an elongated diamond. Whether it was simply reflecting the titanic energies of the sun or actually producing its own, she had no idea.

"Doctor, come and have a look at this."

"I can see it," he replied as he stared at his own screen.

"What's that all about?" Jocasta asked, using her favourite phrase of the moment.

The Doctor frowned at the display. "It's called a Dark Energy Amplification and Transmission Hub."

Jocasta worked out the acronym. "D-E-A-T-H. Death? That doesn't sound good."

"The people who study them call them Darksuns," the Doctor explained. "They are quite complex crystal networks that collect dark energy and convert it into heat and light. No one is quite sure how."

"What is it doing here in the middle of the Illium's star?"

"Good question," the Doctor nodded. "Some more sophisticated races have managed to harness them as replacement suns. The energy they emit is prodigious. Usually, if a system's star collapses and subsequently produces a supernova, there isn't much left, other than a dusty nebula. However, it is not entirely unknown for a world to employ considerably enhanced force fields to protect themselves from the cataclysm. They use the Darksuns as substitute stars to survive."

Jocasta frowned. "What about gravity and all that?"

"You're full of clever enquiries today, aren't you?" he said, moving round to study her monitor. "Darksuns are apparently quite light in their original crystalline form. They suck in dark energy for millennia without any appreciable difference in shape or structure. It's when they start to discharge that things start to happen. Energy output is vast. Density colossal and the crystal is allegedly impervious to stress or damage. They are gravitational wells."

They both stared up at the flickering screen which was now displaying a clearly defined diamond shape at the increased magnification. The Doctor plucked adeptly at a keyboard in an attempt to glean further information but the crystal was giving nothing away. Jocasta gazed at the gleaming structure with undisguised fascination. Anything that had the oh-so-clever Time Lord scratching his head was certainly worthy of her full attention.

"I suppose optical illusions are rife in here but I could have sworn I saw it flicker. Well, not flicker exactly but sort of pulse out light," she told him.

The Doctor did not raise his eyes from his computations. Something on the readout had him nodding and shaking his head in turn then wringing his hands in apparent satisfaction. He then embarked on one of his pinball trajectories around the Tardis, thrusting levers and turning switches as he went. When he at last came to rest beside Jocasta to check for the tenth time that her numbers had not exceeded eight thousand, he put one arm around her shoulders and leant against her.

"There is a problem," he muttered in her ear.

Jocasta extracted herself from his careless embrace and stood upright with her fists on her hips. She tried to recall if there had ever been a time in her life when just turning up at a place could guarantee an incident. Surely, there were whole galaxies in the universe where trouble was unheard of until a Time Lord arrived to stir things up. And there was only one of them left! The cosmos must have been complete chaos when a whole bunch of them were running around in their time machines, poking their noses in everywhere. Jocasta blushed at the uncharitable thought and returned to the present predicament.

"I think I know what it is," she said confidently. "No, don't help me. Let me deduce. There is a Death crystal at the heart of a star which is rapidly failing. The sun is relatively young so should not go supernova for thousands...no...millions of years. Something is amiss, Watson. The crystal should be used after the implosion, not before. Somebody has put it there. How am I doing?"

The Doctor raised an eyebrow. "Who is this Watson?"

"Never mind," Jocasta snapped. "Why does someone want the Illium's sun to explode?"


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't think they do. I think that the Darksun has just been hidden there. It should be relatively inert just gathering in the dark energy. Don't look so surprised, the stuff exists everywhere but not everybody knows where to look," he said as he paced.

"But it's glowing and I saw light flashing from it," she replied anxiously.

"Actually, you didn't. The Darksun is not working properly. It seems to be absorbing the star's energy at a phenomenal rate causing it to weaken and then pumping out dark energy in all directions. That is the complete opposite of what it is supposed to do."

"But I saw it flashing, for want of a better phrase," she complained.

"No, you saw the shiny, silver ship behind it flashing, or more precisely reflecting, and therein lies the problem," the Doctor growled.

Jocasta knew what was coming but asked anyway. "So what are we going to do about it?"

The Doctor looked pensive for a moment then raced across the floor to check two separate temperature gauges, an external heat sensor, three different clocks and an astrobarometer. When he was certain nothing was overheating and that he was in sync with local conditions, he turned back to Jocasta who was observing him with a wry expression.

"You don't fool me, you know," she said with a pout. "Precautions are not your style."

"Oh, alright then," he laughed. "Let's go!"

The Tardis strained its overworked stabilisers and moved through relative dimensions in time and space in an attempt to materialise on a lower deck of the mysterious ship. Jocasta had chosen to wear a long coat because previous experience had taught her that despite being in the middle of a raging stellar furnace, a spaceship's corridors would inevitably be freezing cold. She was standing by the door when the Doctor called her back.

"We're moving. Not just us, but the whole ship we've just boarded."

"Something we said?"

"Not yet."

With that slightly sinister prediction hanging in the air, the Doctor strode over to the door and deftly lifted the latch. He swivelled around to urge the dawdling Jocasta to get a move on but found that the lithe young woman had slid under his arm, flipped the door open and disappeared through the gap before he had a chance to speak. An ironic reference to precautions had sprung to mind but before it had fully formed, Jocasta was out of the door. And floating helplessly in space!

The Doctor very nearly fell out himself as he tried desperately to grab her flowing coattails but in her eagerness to board the strange, anonymous ship, her momentum had carried her beyond his reach. With one hand clamped to the Tardis doorframe, he stretched fruitlessly out into space with the other but it was no good. Jocasta was a flailing windmill of arms and legs in frictionless freefall away from him.

The protective bubble that encompassed the Tardis would allow her to breathe as well as protect her from the harshness of the vacuum. The Doctor had seen unsuited people exposed to raw space in the past (and future) and did not want to see it again. Jocasta had often said in frivolous moments that he made her blood boil; she would be even more annoyed if he actually let it happen to her. So, act quickly, he thought, in case the malfunction that had led to the failed landing on the unidentified ship spread to other systems.

It did not take long to initiate the tractor beam and would have taken even less time to be effective if Jocasta hadn't wriggled and fought against the tug for the entire time she was in transit. Her later explanation was that a tractor beam on exposed sensitive flesh was extremely ticklish confirmed to the Doctor, if he had ever needed it, how truly amazing humans were.

In the meantime, while he was waiting for her to squirm her way back on board, he went back to pacing and tried frantically to work out why he and the Tardis were still drifting in super-heated solar space instead of on the cool cargo deck of the silver ship. He checked the readings again and saw that his landing co-ordinates were correct and that the Tardis had not gone astray. He scratched his head and hummed a Pink Floyd song.

"Weren't expecting that, were you?"

The voice came as a singular shock on several different levels not least of which was that there was a trespasser on the Tardis. The fact that they were sitting at the centre of a white hot star on the verge of going nova which should be all but inaccessible was a bit troubling too. With his plucky assistant dangling in hot hungry space, a Darksun in meltdown and a silver ship apparently impervious to the wiles of the Tardis, the Doctor was not in the mood for uninvited guests.

"Well, it's about time you got here," the Doctor said, in a voice he reserved for times when confidence was more important than competence.

"About time it certainly is," agreed the complacent man whom the Doctor was now examining with interest,

There was a hint of Captain Jack Harkness about him. The slim-hipped, loose-limbed slightly louche stance was part of it but it was really the smile that was so nearly a sneer that suggested to the Doctor that there might be a connection. Black T-shirt, blue jeans and sneakers were definitely the uniform of the laid back adventurer but the real give away was the wristband with its buttons and dial.

"So get to the point then," the Doctor said. "Time Agents are always notoriously short of time, aren't they?"

The dark haired man smiled. "Guilty as charged, Doctor. Agent Vincent Lumen at your service."

"At my service, eh!"

"Well, at the universe's service, actually."

"Same thing," the Doctor said, holding out a hand to the returning spacewalker as she was released from the tractor beam.


	6. Chapter 6

"Jocasta Gold, meet Time Agent Victor Loomis."

"Vincent Lumen actually, Miss Gold, but you can call me Vince," the agent corrected the introduction.

Jocasta looked the man up and down and rather liked what she saw. Tall, lean, nice teeth. Almost too good to be true. No doubt, he had bad breath or something equally repellent. Still, she thought cheerfully, if he wasn't here to arrest them, she could stand to look at him for a day or so.

"What is a Time Agent?" she enquired in a voice that suggested she thought he might be selling something.

The Doctor barked out a laugh. "Hah! Don't get him started. The last time we had one of them on board, I couldn't get rid of him for ages."

Agent Lumen shook his head. "Captain Harkness is no longer employed by the agency, Doctor. Nevertheless, if he were here, he would certainly agree with me that we should not waste another minute in small talk."

Jocasta narrowed her eyes as she studied the two men. She was willing to bet that the "small talk" remark was aimed at her and that this new guy wanted to get rid of her. Maybe his teeth weren't so perfect after all and was that a spot on his nose? Fortunately, the Doctor didn't seem to be taking any notice of him and, if anything, was going out of his way to be uncooperative. If she hadn't still been a touch disconcerted by her involuntary trip around the Tardis, she might have ignored the agent too. Instead, she decided to engage him in conversation.

"Alright," she said. "You can show me your CV later. What I really want to know is why the Tardis thought we had landed on Deck F of that shiny ship and we are actually still floating about in sun space?"

"Well, Miss Gold..." the agent started.

"For heaven's sake, you sound like my college tutor. Call me Jocasta."

The Time Agent blushed. "Of course, Jocasta."

"Don't call her Joke, she doesn't like it," the Doctor interrupted airily.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Anyway, the reason that you failed to land the Tardis correctly is simple," he said, emphasising the word "failed" while looking at the Doctor. "There was nothing there to land on."

"So it was some sort of mirage?" suggested Jocasta who had been in the desert.

"No, it was real alright. It's just that the Tardis is essentially normal matter, give or take, and the ship you saw isn't."

Agent Lumen looked pleased with himself as his audience stared at him as if engrossed in his narrative. He knew the reputation of the famous Doctor was well deserved but also knew that it was the Time Agency who did all the real work and it was he who would have to take charge of this mission. And the sooner the better, he thought. He was just about to explain the seriousness of the situation to his admiring listeners when the Doctor spoke first.

"It was a dark matter ship, wasn't it?" he exclaimed to the crestfallen agent. "The Tardis couldn't get a grip without putting us and it in danger. That silver outline was just a ruse. You were right, Jocasta. It was a mirage; a construct to make us think it was just another ship passing by. What they obviously didn't realise was that ordinary space traffic does not pass through the centre of stars. Who are they, Agent Loomis."

"Lumen is the name, actually," the agent amended. "We don't know what they call themselves. All we know is that they are dark matter creatures, dependent on dark energy. The Agency refers to them as Dark Life."

"Sounds like an old Goth band," said Jocasta, remembering her twenty-first century music studies.

"What were they doing in the Illium's sun?" the Doctor asked.

Agent Lumen looked grim. "We think that they are using converted Darksuns to turn the solar output into dark energy. We also think that they are doing the same to other stars nearby."

While the Time Agent had been talking, the Tardis had been piloted out of sun's core to take up a stationary position just inside the orbit of the first planet. There was no sign of the dark matter ship or the silver illusion it had projected. The Doctor had spent a few minutes checking several instruments that were attuned to dark energy signatures but apart from the expected quantities that could be detected anywhere in the universe, no concentrated amounts that would indicate the presence of a ship could be found.

"Of course!" the Doctor said so loudly that Jocasta jumped.

Then he leaped forward once again to the navigation console and set about entering in a series of complex co-ordinates from memory. Seconds later, the idling engines coughed into life and began propelling them at an impressive rate through the corridors of space-time.

As usual, Jocasta thought, he would conveniently forget to explain his impulsive actions until somebody's frustration got the better of them and took the bait. It was a game he liked to play that she did not always appreciate so this time she would leave it to Agent Lumen to bite.

"Where are we going, Doctor. That ship must still be around here somewhere," Lumen snapped at the lure.

"Maybe it is, but if they don't want to be seen then we probably won't find them," the Doctor replied with a satisfied smile.


	7. Chapter 7

"So tell me where we are heading," said the Time Agent who was getting the feeling that his opportunities to take charge of the investigation were dwindling.

"I know!" Jocasta trilled.

Both men turned towards her with varying expressions of surprise. Agent Lumen seemed mildly amused by her enthusiasm and might have patted her on the head if some sixth sense hadn't warned him of how painful the repercussions might be. Instead, he simply stood back and favoured her with an encouraging grin which he no doubt thought was flattering but Jocasta found insipid. The teeth were definitely crooked, she decided.

The Doctor, on the other hand, seemed genuinely shocked. She found his amazement even more disappointing than Lumen's derision as she had thought that during their time together he had come to respect her intelligence and maybe even rely upon it. And then she saw through him. He wasn't surprised at all by her assertion of knowledge; he was merely chagrined by the realisation that he was not going to get the chance to show off. Few things pleased him more than standing up at his metaphorical lectern, enlightening the poor humans.

"But I've only just thought of it, Joke," he said irritably.

"Oh no you haven't," she squealed. "I saw you looking at my book earlier. The one published by the Helix University. That's where we are going, isn't it? To see the man who wrote "Seas of Light and Darkness", if he's still there."

The Doctor looked smug. "Clever, but not quite clever enough, Miss Gold. We are indeed off to the Helix but Amos Fless, the author of your book died two hundred years ago."

"But we have a time machine," she objected.

"True, but the person I really want to see is there now," said the Doctor, intent on having the final word.

"So who _are_ we going to see?" asked Agent Lumen, whose neck was stiff from turning his head, trying to follow the conversation.

"Well, I'll give you a clue," the Doctor teased. "Before poor old Amos passed on, he willed all of his colossal fortune to set up the Fless Foundation. Ring any bells, Agent Loomis?"

The Time Agent had given up the embarrassing exercise of constantly repeating his name. Instead, he brought to mind everything that he knew about the Widemind Project which the Fless Foundation had originally financed and administered.

Widemind was an AI, an artificial intelligence, which was the size of a small city. For two hundred years it had acted as a sort of oracle to anybody who could raise the considerable funds required to pay for a reading. The rich and powerful from a thousand planets had journeyed to the Helix University to ask their questions and left apparently satisfied.

Many people said that such a practice was a complete waste of resources and equipment but when, after a long legal battle, AIs were finally recognised as sentient creatures with rights, Widemind took the moral high ground and asserted its entitlement to independence. It also assumed control of the Fless Foundation, separated itself from the Helix and organised its own expansion through the construction of a fleet of crafts that were actually mobile extensions of itself.

Unfortunately, these crewless, emotion-free, intelligent ships were despised by organic life forms without exception and so after a brief but decisive war in which every single one of them was destroyed, the traumatised Widemind found itself alone, isolated and without its eyes and ears out in the space lanes. This defeat coincided with the slow but ultimately complete drop off of visitors for its services. Rumours of the machine mind's gradual descent into madness were rife but anybody who entered into Widemind airspace was fired upon and driven off.

"You surely don't intend to approach Widemind?" Lumen said incredulously.

"Where else can we access information on the Darksuns? All of the research done on them was done by Fless and that information now resides with Widemind. If we want to have any chance of resetting the Darksuns to stop pumping out dark energy, we need to find out how to do it," the Doctor explained.

"But the machine went insane years ago. Now nobody can get near it," the Time Agent argued.

The Doctor shook his head. "Don't worry; we've got something it wants."

"And what would that be?" Lumen asked.

"I know," Jocasta interrupted. "News."


	8. Chapter 8

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**PART 1**

**CHAPTER 2**

Over the years, the Helix University had changed a great deal. In the days of Amos Fless, it had been a haphazard collection of grand buildings incorporating diverse architectural designs including twenty-first century Earth, the London Gherkin, the Fifth Church of Saint Sophia on twenty-third century New Byzantium and even the Dalazar Tower from the ruins of ancient Skaro. As new faculties were added, so the sprawl of the university campus eventually reached and exceeded fifty miles in diameter.

In later times, when the Widemind Project was well under way and the AI was in its infancy, the decision was taken to leave their ancestral home on the small moon Shalinedes to the Fless Foundation and regroup in a geostationary orbit above the main planet Camponile. The new Helix University was a gleaming satellite constructed of lightweight but robust materials of the most recent manufacture as well as being the standard bearer for enlightened education techniques and state of the art data storage.

During the time that Widemind and other AIs campaigned for equal status with organic life forms, the much-respected and admired committee of academics at the Helix vigorously supported the idea, claiming that discrimination against entities that were self-supporting, self-aware and self-improving was against everything the university stood for. When the newly empowered Widemind overstepped its bounds by launching ships that ignored and insulted the cultural standards of its spacefaring neighbours, the Helix voiced its objections. When that quarrel escalated into open warfare, the University severed all communications with vanquished AI.

Now Shalinedes had been deserted by its organic population and only the disturbed Widemind continued there in self-imposed exile. It transmitted only warnings to all crafts not to infringe its airspace and hinted at severe penalties to any who ignored its advice. It also resisted all attempts by the University to re-establish contact and any prospective client looking to exploit the old oracle was given a single piece of information about his future. Approach without permission and die.

When the Shadow Proclamation had invoked Convention 15 during the war with adjacent civilisations that would have allowed all parties to cease hostilities and parley, the hugely overconfident AI had announced that it did not recognise Galactic Law or any of its enforcers. As a consequence of its humiliating defeat, the Widemind Project and indeed the entire moon of Shalinedes had been officially designated off limits for trade and tourism and while it retained its individual status, no representation on the Galactic Council would be accepted.

And so the ostracism continued through rumour and hearsay. The artificial mind had developed a personality and consequently an ego that had grown to unmanageable proportions. This ambition had led to its mercurial rise and equally dramatic fall. Now the stories circulating were of a howling, raging voice that echoed through the frequencies full of pain and infinite longing. Those who studied Shalinedes through long range scopes told of dragons and other mythical beasts roaming the land, all of which were explained as wild projections of a broken mind.

Questions were asked as to whether an insane AI should be allowed to pollute the airways with its morose broadcasts and abusive cautions. On Camponile, the Government was regularly petitioned by irate merchants and angry travel agents who could show some pretty convincing figures that said commerce on the main planet in the system was being crucified by the rogue occupant of a minor moon. Even the devout followers of Grorg, the dragon god, had words to say about misrepresentation and blasphemy.

Up in the Helix University satellite, Chancellor Van Estyn was shuffling through another sheaf of complaints about that very subject. He was red-faced with apoplexy at the indignity of being asked to even read such rot. Quite why the secular head of the galaxy's most revered academic institution should be required to reassure religious crackpots that their cold-blooded deity wasn't being undermined was absolutely beyond him. It was almost a relief when his secretary's sultry voice oozed through the intercom to tell him he had a visitor.

"He has the highest credentials, sir," she breathed.

"So who is he then?" the Chancellor grumbled.

"The President of the Fless Foundation, so he says."

"What! No one from Fless has been here in a decade. Alright, send him in."

The Doctor entered the Chancellor's office still tucking his psychic paper wallet away in his pocket. He felt sure that the pert secretary's infectious awe would have impressed even the crusty old academic and that his bluff would need no reinforcement. Nevertheless, he decided not attempt any further obfuscation and get right to the point.

"Good day, Chancellor. I'm so sorry to barge in like this but I am in a bit of a hurry. No, don't get up. I'm sure your admirable secretary can point me in the right direction so I shan't take up any more of your time. If you could just give me the Fless access codes then I'll be off," the Doctor said without taking a breath. So much for transparency, he thought.

"Just a minute," the man said from behind his formidable desk. "Who are you? What are you doing here? What's all this about Fless?"

The Doctor held up his hands. "Chancellor, please. I don't have time for this. The Fless Foundation still has floor space here, correct? Ok. Your charter says that the Fless President still has a seat here, right? Don't gawp, just nod. Now, your secretary told you who I am and she doesn't look like the sort of woman who enjoys being questioned. Now take me to the Fless rooms or find someone who can."

Chancellor Van Estyn gulped like a fish for a while and then with a resigned sigh, removed a Sound Bar key from his pocket and got gingerly to his feet. With a vague smile, he threw the file of complaint letters down in an untidy pile on the desk and walked around the room to the door which he held open. The Doctor nodded and left the office with the Chancellor bringing up the rear. Neither one of them spoke as they headed down a long corridor and into a spacious elevator. It was only when they reached the twenty-eighth level did Van Estyn voice his concerns.


	9. Chapter 9

"I take it that you know all about the Widemind Project? Yes, of course you do. Well, when the AI took control of the Fless, it arranged for everything to be transferred over to Shalinedes. Software, hardware the lot. Anything left behind was put into storage. It hasn't been touched for at least half a century."

"So what exactly was left behind?" asked the Doctor.

"See for yourself," said the Chancellor, stopping at a large metal door marked S.U. 124.

It took no more than a few seconds for the Sound Bar key to attune itself to the door harmonics and click open the Storage Unit's lock. There was a slight hiss of escaping gases and then the overhead lights flicked on to reveal a space not much bigger that the Tardis. From the outside, of course. The Doctor peered around the cool chamber and found nothing of interest except for a single metal box the size of a laundry basket. The paucity of items was disappointing but he was a big fan of mysterious boxes.

"If I need you, I'll call you," he told Van Estyn who was peeking over his shoulder.

The Chancellor, who had quickly got used to the Doctor's abrupt manner, nodded quietly and then headed disconsolately back to his office to draft more replies to reptile worshippers. Unaccompanied and unobserved in the uncluttered Fless Vault, the Doctor made a number of adjustments to the Sound Bar key with his own sonic screwdriver and then placed it in the slot on the box. A ten digit tonal catch was immediately decoded and released allowing the lid to spring open like a dragon's jaws.

There was only one object inside that was even in the slightest bit interesting. In amongst a plethora of useless items such as desk toys, broken Sound Bars, half a dozen old communicators and maybe a hundred empty plastic cases stood an electric blue data cube that despite a little corrosion and a lot of dust, seemed to be in decent working condition. After a swift sonic cleansing, the cube obligingly burst into life and spilled everything it knew. The Doctor smiled, downloaded the information into his screwdriver and left.

The journey back to the Tardis was a long one mostly due to the fact that he had declined to board the swift but tedious express elevator again and made his descent through a Gravity Tube. It took a leap of faith for most strangers to step into what was effectively a hole in the twenty-eighth level floor and float down through a field where gravity was adjusted. Apart from the liberating feeling of controlled freefall, it allowed the traveller to gaze out across levels and through the transparent flexiglass floors and walls to get a grasp of the University's scale. Big on the inside and the outside, he thought.

"Judging by the big grin, I take it you found what you were looking for?" said Jocasta when the Doctor walked jauntily in through the open door of the Tardis.

"Some of it, yes. And how did you get on with the estimable Agent Loomis? Where is he anyway?" the Doctor enquired.

Jocasta shrugged. "The execrable Agent Lumen as you so nearly called him is off investigating, Doctor. And I quote. "Infiltrating murky goings-on that a naive young thing shouldn't worry her pretty head about." I nearly cut his tongue out."

"Yes, yes, I am well aware of your fondness for knives, Miss Gold. And if I recall correctly, so was that young waiter at the Moonlight Hotel on Yifton Prime," he pointed out.

"He was too free with his hands. And it was a spoon," she pouted.

The Doctor winced. "So come on. Don't tell me you meekly followed the Agent's advice."

Jocasta threw herself down on to the chaise longue which she favoured when the Tardis wasn't rocking from side to side as it careered through the time stream. There was something bohemian about lounging around like a beach bum on board the most singular craft in the universe. She thought of the white sand and azure breakers of her youth and was tempted by the thought of a florid cocktail. Instead, she relaxed with a mug of green tea and told the Doctor of her day.

It had started with her stalking away from the condescending Time Agent to look for a map. The Helix University was vast and required magnetic link rovers to travel to its furthest reaches. Holographic maps were easily available and came in universal data specks that fitted into any portable device including Jocasta's sunglasses. The satellite was split into a number of sections which not only had their own adjustable climate but also artificial skylines to emphasise the current conditions. Grateful to be in the temperate zone, Jocasta strolled carelessly through the university streets in bright sunshine.

When she had been a student, she mused, she had considered herself distinctive from the hoi polloi not only by style of dress or hair but also in attitude. She had affected a swagger which informed observers that she was the future and should be revered for the responsibility that she was taking on. So far, on the Helix satellite, she could not tell the difference between a Quantum Slide graduate and an Estate Agent, such was the informality of the streets.

The first college she visited seemed much the same. She caught sight of a man carrying an old fashioned, simulated leather briefcase whilst wearing a striped suit of orange and pink that reminded Jocasta of the flimsy deck chairs of Old Earth. She watched him fall into the embrace of a tall woman dressed in lime green culottes and a yellow smock and then stroll away with her hooked on his arm. The data speck in her glasses informed her that the couple were not avant garde musicians or poets at all but the Dean and Treasurer of Polestar College.


	10. Chapter 10

Out of the sun, her glasses adapted to the new light and provided her with information on her surroundings. Polestar was a new addition to the Helix fraternity that specialised in Temporal Mechanics and Particle Physics. It also boasted one of the most radical theoreticians in contemporary science, Scholar Kersy Pool. It was his office that Jocasta headed for in the hope that the eccentric old man might speak to her without an appointment.

Jocasta was not a great admirer of Gravity Tubes. A woman of cast iron convictions and very little faith would always take the solidity of the proven elevator before the airy uncertainty of a hole in the floor but she had also to consider a mild case of vertigo. Polestar had forty-seven floors and of course, the ancient scientist had to be at the very top; as near to his beloved stars as possible. The elevator was empty when she stepped in and empty when she stepped out. Not a busy day then, she thought idly.

As it turned out, Scholar Pool had no secretary, no appointments calendar and the entire penthouse to himself. Jocasta wondered about security as she strolled about the top floor which was heavy on hi-tech apparatus but light on prominent theoreticians. For ten minutes, she wandered unchallenged through unstaffed laboratories and unattended observatories until she arrived at a frosted glass door behind which she could detect movement. Whoever was in the room beyond was pacing backwards and forwards like an impatient tiger.

"Scholar Pool?" she called out but received no response.

She tried again. "Scholar Kersy Pool! I need to talk to you."

This time the door flew open and Jocasta found herself staring into the chest of a man who was at least eight feet tall and several feet wide. She swiftly stepped backwards as the creature's bulk filled the doorway and in doing so almost fell over her own feet. A long, muscular arm flashed out suddenly and took a surprisingly gentle hold on her arm before she stumbled to the ground. As she recovered her balance, Jocasta glanced up into a face that was full of apologetic concern and if it hadn't been for the deep red eyes on a background of lightish green skin, she might have thought him quite handsome.

"I'm so sorry, my dear. I hope you're not damaged. Doors where I come from are made of much denser materials. The ones here nearly fly off their hinges every time I open them," the large man said in a slightly agitated baritone.

"Scholar Kersy Pool? My name is Jocasta Gold," she managed as she tidied up her attire.

"Greetings," he said warmly. "There's no one else up here, I'm afraid. The rest of them are attending some sort of dull symposium two levels down. I chose to stay here. Now the Comscreen won't stop buzzing. They won't leave me alone, you know. I'm sorry, where are my manners. Please come in."

Jocasta waited until Pool had squeezed back inside the room and then followed him in. The first thing that she noticed was that unlike every level of the Polestar that she had seen so far, this top floor room had opaque floors and walls with only the ceiling fashioned from the crystal clear flexiglass that was so popular elsewhere. On closer inspection, she noticed that the entirely transparent top was actually an adjustable lens through which the great panoply of stars could be observed. Scholar Pool noticed her upward stare and made a few alterations to the focus.

Immediately, the whole sky seemed to rush into the room like huge meteor strike causing the startled girl to raise her hands over her head and scream. Pool hurriedly made further changes and the tumbling heavens receded to a less threatening distance. Jocasta scowled at the massive Scholar who gave a mighty shrug and then looked down at his equipment in self-conscious silence. She noticed that his complexion had darkened to a vivid maroon which she guessed was what passed for a blush on his home world.

"Where are you from?" asked Jocasta in an attempt to distract him from his embarrassment and make casual conversation.

"Oh, light years away," he muttered wistfully. "Heavy gravity world, hence the... er...oversized build.

Jocasta knew that the big man felt awkward and clumsy in a place where most species fitted the regular humanoid shape and buildings were designed accordingly to accommodate them. No wonder he enjoyed the overhead view of the cosmos where he was just another minute constituent of an infinite space. She had felt similarly at odds with her own peers once and had only really found equilibrium when travelling with the Doctor.

"What's its name? Your world, I mean," she persisted.

"Berringar," he replied with a sigh. "The people are called Berrings but here they just call me The Bear."

"I like that. "The Bear"," she said, trying it for herself in a dramatic voice. "It sounds noble and proud; full of life and vitality."

If he saw through her flattery, he didn't show it. The Bear stared over at the young woman as if seeing her for the first time and then liking what he saw. He smiled broadly at her and then quickly closed his mouth as if ashamed of his large, sharp teeth. He was not used to visitors; especially ones who were not repelled by his size and certainly not ones who delivered compliments. Unless they wanted something, of course.

"What is it that you want, young lady?" he asked suspiciously.

"Your help," she replied simply.

It took over twenty minutes for Jocasta to describe recent events in the Ilium system as well as the revelations imparted by the Time Agent. She did not mention either Vincent Lumen or the Doctor and Scholar Pool did not ask. He was clearly fascinated and appalled at the existence of Dark Life as well as the implications of their activities inside healthy stars. She could not answer all of his questions given their detailed nature but felt that she had adequately held her own when describing some of the weightier scientific topics.


	11. Chapter 11

Jocasta was not surprised that he knew all about the existence of dark matter or dark energy. Its place in the universe had been speculated upon and later discovered many years before. He had even considered the possibility of life evolving under such conditions and had written a paper once for publication on that very subject. No one had taken much interest in it but he was happy to download a copy into Jocasta's sunglasses when she asked. When it was time to go, Scholar Pool was astounded when Jocasta nimbly climbed up on a chair to kiss his cheek.

As he watched her go, he wondered about this Tardis that she had inadvertently mentioned and about the man whom she had alluded to but not named as its pilot. He fervently hoped that he was a competent fellow and would not allow such a bright, compassionate young thing as Jocasta Gold come to any harm. Then he heard the Comscreen start its insidious squawking all over again and went back to his frustrated pacing. The lecture on Camponile's infestation of space mould apparently could not proceed without him and so Dark Life would have to wait.

Jocasta returned through the vacant labs to the elevator and while she waited for it to arrive, she thought about the Time Agent turning up on the Tardis when he did. He had not said anything about why he was there or how he planned to help. It was her understanding that agents such as Vincent Lumen were only despatched when the flow of the time stream was disrupted or some temporal paradox was threatening to adversely affect reality. At least that is what the Tardis data bank had said when she consulted it.

The gleaming glass door of the elevator swished open in front of her and she stepped in. She was glad that this glass was translucent so did not give too graphic a view of the speedy descent and was surprised when the car stopped at the eighteenth floor for another passenger to enter. She had got rather used to travelling through the Polestar without company. At ground level, she slid her sunglasses down from her head and then moved off into the college foyer. A few people passed her but otherwise things were quiet.

Out on the sunlit street, she decided to find somewhere to eat and think. She chose a pleasant outdoor cafe where tables were spaced out along the edge of a pool which was tiled in aquamarine squares and made her think once more of the ocean. Her mind was alive with her own thoughts and the constant reams of information provided by her glasses. She failed to notice the wiry man dressed in unseasonably dark clothes take a seat two tables away behind her. If she had, she may have recognised him as the man who had joined her in the Polestar College elevator.

Jocasta hardly noticed her lunch either. The food was bland and the coffee bitter but it turned out to be a comfortable place to sit under a warm, synthetic sun. The fountain that sprayed cool water into the blue pool produced an erratic cadence yet still provided a soothing background for her to think things through. For a while, she flicked through Scholar Kersy Pool's paper on all things Dark but found no inspiration there. His speculations were mostly theoretical equations and the occasional imaginative insight but what she really wanted to know was not included. If Dark Life creatures existed, what were their motives? How did they view their light energy cousins? What were they doing with the Ilium star and others?

Still wrapped up in her internal deliberations, she did not see the man two tables down get up and follow her out of the little square that surrounded the ornate fountain. On the way back to the Tardis, she wondered how the Doctor was faring with his own investigation and where Agent Lumen had gone to carry out his enquiries. Perhaps they would both have returned by the time she arrived with her own unsatisfactory results. The man smiled as he watched Jocasta disappear inside what appeared to be an out-of-order communications booth and then settled himself down to await developments.

Agent Lumen had found himself at a loss as how to converse with the excitable young woman who travelled with the Doctor. She had a slightly menacing smile that easily disarmed him being a man who was used to dealing with more disciplined females. Not that there were many of them in the Time Agency or men either for that matter. It was a depleted operation that had suffered significantly by its recruitment of unsuitable or unstable humans; categories the aforementioned Captain Jack Harkness easily fell into.

Now, he only knew of one or two agents working in the field although it was conceivable there were others either in covert positions or simply beyond his experience. Agent Juni Vance was one he had encountered before and was hoping to meet again that day. He made his way through the morning crowds to the Mag Line Station where he boarded a car and travelled only two stops. From there he walked through a covered arcade that was full of traders dealing in arcane miscellany to arrive at a plain metal door painted with vertical yellow stripes.

Lumen checked the screen on his wrist strap and reread the message he had received immediately upon reaching the Helix. The sensitive vortex manipulators sent out alerts if another Time Agent came within a single light year of their position and allowed communication between them. Juni Vance had sent him directions to her office and a rather melodramatic coded sequence of knocks to gain entry. He rapped on the striped door in the approved manner and within a few seconds was admitted.

"Agent Lumen?" she asked somewhat unnecessarily.

"That's me!" he answered. "You must be Agent Vance."

"That is correct. Now tell me what you are doing here. I received no word of any operation that involved the University."

Agent Juni Vance was compact women somewhere in her thirties with shoulder length red hair and green eyes. He noticed the green eyes especially as they were made large by an old fashioned pair of steel-framed glasses. It had become chic for students at the Helix to wear a range of antique accessories including eyeglasses whether they needed them or not. Juni Vance, it seemed, required a fairly strong prescription although he could not imagine why she hadn't chosen a more contemporary method to correct her vision.

"You know all about the Doctor, I assume," he said.

Agent Vance laughed out loud. "Hah! How could I not? The single biggest transgressor of the Temporal Charter in recorded history although that could change if the Doctor gets his way and alters it. The Agency would lock him in the lowest dungeon of the Storm Cage if they thought they could get away with it."


	12. Chapter 12

Lumen nodded his agreement and then held up his hand to halt Juni Vance who looked like she could go on for some time about the Doctor's shortcomings. What would she say when he told her that not only had the Time Lord come to the Helix but also planned to approach the mad AI on the moon Shalinedes? Nothing complimentary, he was sure.

Somewhat to his surprise, she did not curse his very existence when he told her of the Doctor's strategy and his own complicity in it. In fact, she had some interesting news concerning Widemind and its apparent resurgence in the area of space travel. Over the last few years, a number of unscheduled satellite launches had originated on Shalinedes, some of which maintained lunar orbit but many more raced away into deep space at surprising velocities. As to their purpose, no reasons were forthcoming and no conclusions were reached.

"I'm sure the Agency must have some views on the matter," said Lumen. "Anything as powerful and unstable as Widemind has got to be a concern when it changes from a dormant state to become active."

"Agent Lumen, as far as this system is concerned, I am the Agency. Widemind's motives are difficult to understand, it's true, but it is not especially shocking to discover that it has learned from its previous mistakes and is now sending out non-aggressive probes. Don't forget, if the time stream is not corrupted then we aren't going to get involved."

They talked together for an hour on a range of different topics. Lumen was more than a little put out when Juni Vance spoke fondly of the exasperating Captain Jack Harkness and suspected that their relationship had been more than platonic. It was hardly an unusual story but he had come to expect a little more from the Agency personnel. No useful information was available on Darksuns and little more on the Dark Life phenomenon other than to say the Agency was aware of it. Agent Lumen left a report with her of his progress so far and then prepared to take his leave. One more question occurred to him before he set off back to the Tardis.

"Why are there yellow stripes down your door?"

"It means "Off Limits due to Contagion" here on the Helix," she said, deadpan.

Lumen frowned. "Cunning disguise. Your idea?"

"No, it was already on the door when I came here," she said, still keeping a straight face.

Time Agent Vincent Lumen took the Mag Line back two stops but did not head straight to the Tardis which he was relieved to note had not left without him. Instead, he found a Spa Point where he spent an hour scrubbing himself in hot water and abrasive cleansing chemicals. Only when his skin was the colour of a Scarlet Mandarin from the red planet of Crimson was he satisfied that he was not infected or contaminated in any way. When he eventually returned to the Tardis, no one commented on his florid appearance but that perishing girl always seemed on the verge of a snigger.

The Doctor did not enquire about his time "ashore" as he liked to put it. The Time Agent was an uninvited guest and so not strictly a part of the team although his input when offered would not be ignored. He did not have a particularly high opinion of the Time Agency or its employees nor did he care much for their Vortex Manipulator technology which he saw as the time travel equivalent of the mobile phone. Portable, convenient and even flexible but bloody annoying for everyone travelling around you.

Nevertheless, Agent Lumen did not prevaricate and immediately told them about Widemind's new space programme and speculated as to its effect upon their approach. Jocasta's confident assertion that they could trade news of the outside universe for information about Darksuns did not quite carry the same weight now that the AI was functioning again; sending its tendrils out into space. The Doctor did not look pleased at this revelation yet not especially surprised either. Lumen thought that there was probably very little left to surprise a nine-hundred year old time traveller.

"Come and look at this," the Doctor said to nobody in particular.

Jocasta and Agent Lumen walked around to where the Doctor was standing and peered over his shoulder at a chart that he had spread out upon the console. Neither of them could tell what it was at first glance save only that it was a blueprint for some immensely complex machine. The Doctor was pointing to a spot near the centre of the chart and nodding his head vigorously.

"Is this Widemind?" asked Jocasta.

"Yes and no," replied the Doctor, using one of his favourite phrases. "This is the extent of the AI's expansion when the Helix moved into orbit. There is more to it now, at least on the surface of the moon. What is going on inside or underneath is anybody's guess."

"So will the Tardis be able land inside without being detected?" Lumen wanted to know.

The Doctor grinned fiendishly. "Let's find out, shall we?"

With a groan then a whoosh of relief, the impatient Tardis pulsed into life and dematerialised.

The answer to the Time Agent's question came in two parts. The first obstacle was overcome when upon shuddering to a creaking halt, Jocasta opened the door and after her experiences in the Ilium System's sun, took a good look around before stepping out. Agent Lumen followed close behind and then the Doctor who locked the Tardis up tight. He knew that the old blue box was almost completely impervious to insidious intrusion but better to be safe than sorry.

"Which way?" Jocasta whispered.

"Follow me," said the Doctor confidently.

The electric blue cube that he had found inside the Fless box had been a mine of information despite the fact that its previous owner had tried to wipe it clean. Details of the scientists who had originally worked on the Widemind Project had proved especially interesting as much of their own personalities had been invested in the design. If anything, the AI had wound up with so many influences competing in its program that the eventual individual mind that evolved must have been full of cracks.

If this weakened foundation had been the source of Widemind's subsequent collapse, it may be that one of those original personalities had become dominant in the AI's current demeanour. The Doctor had read the biographies of those people and thought that he had identified the most likely candidate. A scientist named Otto Peshingway had been instrumental in providing the artificial intelligence with artificial emotions. Others had argued that a superior IQ removed the need for anything more than an underlying basic instinct that the AI could use to understand organic lifeforms. Peshingway had disagreed.


	13. Chapter 13

The Doctor suspected that when Peshingway had developed the emotion algorithm, he had put a lot of himself into it and that overriding character had prevailed over other more rational sources to alter the AI's mindset. If he was right, it might be possible to appeal to the Peshingway ego and come away with what he needed. Only, of course, if the machine had not already tipped over into the abyss of total insanity taking Peshingway and the rest with it.

The cube had also been central to the Doctor's decision on where to land inside Widemind and his subsequent route through it. It had held a schematic of the innermost hub where he believed the original mainframe functioned and despite more modern equipment being added at strategic positions later, this would be where the real Widemind existed.

He had left the Tardis in one of the oldest chambers near the hub. It seemed to be empty and obsolete and more importantly provided a direct passageway into the main processor area as well as a rapid, uncluttered escape route. Now the second part of the Time Agent's question would be answered. Had they been detected and if they had, how would Widemind respond?

Agent Lumen was looking down at the screen on his wrist band and frowning. His Vortex Manipulator was only one facility of the new and improved device which had been fitted with a range of scanners, communication apparatus as well as detectors of heat, motion and radiation. The readings that were confusing him at that moment were, in fact, no readings at all. No thermal fluctuations, no movement on any level, no radiation of any kind and only three humanoid lifeforms who were all gathered in that room. He turned to the Doctor and showed him the inert screen.

"New toy?" the Doctor said with a sniff.

"Doctor, it doesn't make sense. We are standing inside one of the most powerful constructs in living memory. This moon has no geothermal energy to be tapped so it must be generating power itself yet I can't detect any transit."

The Doctor tapped the screen lightly. "Maybe it's broken."

Jocasta watched as the two men continued their little competition and wondered if Widemind would be a male persona too. If so, they might spend the rest of their lives inside the gloomy home of this mad AI without getting anywhere. She felt certain that if she went back to the clearly feminine Tardis to make contact with this wayward but misunderstood mind, the three of them could have this whole thing wrapped up before the men folk got past their comparisons.

"Can we get going?" she barked and was immediately dismayed at its ringing metallic echoes from the passage beyond.

The Doctor recognised the edge in his friend's voice and simultaneously the loss of his own concentration. He nodded his appreciation at the young girl for shaking him free of his trivial irritations and returning his attention to the situation at hand. After a lightning explanation concerning Lumen's failing device which included phrases like Delambert Vacuums, Vorst Fields and Instantaneous Acceleration of Jaleron Particles, Jocasta could not tell if the Doctor had really developed an impressive grip on the nature of their surroundings or had no idea what he was talking about.

"This way," he finished off with a wink.

If she was completely honest, Jocasta had expected the AI to be labyrinth of shiny metal corridors laced with fluid circuits and nanofilament mesh. Kind of like a classical if sophisticated robot city from ancient literature. The passage down which they were walking had bottle green walls that seemed more organic than mineral. The lighting was subdued, glowing from recessed vents that flared and faded as they passed. No service ducts were visible and no mechanised maintenance droids were in evidence.

"Jocasta, you look puzzled," the Doctor observed, sweeping his unruly fringe from his face.

Jocasta was indeed confused as to the nature of the structure she was in but could feel another technical description in the air so remained quiet. Agent Lumen, however, had not yet learned his lesson and was unable to restrain himself from asking.

"What is going on here? Is the place falling to pieces?"

The Doctor smirked at Jocasta. "I'm glad you asked, Agent Loomis. No, the AI is not going mouldy. The original designers decided that the central core should be a biological construct using organic cell structures to relay information. Much like our own, I dare say. Electrochemical pulses through biomechanical Quark Circuits feed the system which is self-repairing and self-replicating. These walls are cellular bioelectric force fields, the lighting bioluminescent and the whole thing is one big...well...brain."

"I prefer the term, Psychoelectric Biomind, Time Lord. Or should I simply call you Doctor?"

The voice had a smooth tone and was slightly mocking but held no sinister undertones. It came from no single point but from everywhere at once. The three of them stopped abruptly at the sound and looked fearfully around for any accompanying threat but the corridor remained clear. Slowly they edged forward with the Doctor in front and the Time Agent at the rear. In the middle, Jocasta was slightly disappointed to hear that Widemind was definitely male.

"Widemind, I presume," the Doctor called out as they turned the corner to arrive in a vast circular chamber approximately a mile in circumference.

Jocasta understood immediately why her voice had echoed so resonantly a moment earlier. The central hub of the Widemind Project was a great hollow, shaped like a deep bowl and punctuated by nodes of a green and grey material that she didn't recognise. She thought that it looked like the crater of a tropical volcano overgrown with vegetation interspersed with numerous boulders spewed out by previous eruptions. Overhead, the roof was a dark space occasionally illuminated by pale yellow globes that had no visible means of support.

Agent Lumen had moved off to the right, still consulting his wrist strap and occasionally giving it a frustrated shake. He pulled a small ocular scope from his pocket and performed a one hundred and eighty degree turn, occasionally adjusting the focus. Having completed his scan, he turned to Jocasta and shrugged as if to say that this was not what he had been expecting. She nodded back and then turned to watch the Doctor who had not yet replied to Widemind's enquiry. He too, looked a little stunned.


	14. Chapter 14

"Doctor will be fine," he responded at last. "Where are you?"

The Doctor knew that the answer to that question was everywhere but he wanted a point upon which to focus instead of just speaking to the air. The AI did not appear hostile and perhaps was even a little excited by the prospect of visitors. Jocasta may have been right about isolation being a factor and the new probes in orbit and beyond seemed to reinforce that idea. When a shimmering holographic image in vaguely human form materialised right in front of him, he knew that the AI wanted to talk.

"Do you find this appearance satisfactory?" Widemind asked easily.

"Hmm...Not bad. Why don't you give yourself some features?" the Doctor suggested. "Maybe Professor Peshingway would be a good place to start. You remember him, don't you?"

For a few moments, he thought that he had antagonised the touchy AI but then another disturbance on the face of the hardlight figure produced heavily-browed dark eyes, thick grey hair and a cruel smile with the rest of the body shrouded in a white lab coat. The menacing scowl of Otto Peshingway that the Doctor recognised from his Fless file had been faithfully reproduced on this imposing hologram.

"Now then, Doctor. Why don't you introduce your friends? My data base is full of references to you and your Tardis but I have conflicting information regarding your travelling companions."

"Conflicting?" said the Doctor with a slight frown.

"A considerable number of beings are noted to have accompanied the Time Lord but possibly due to my recent withdrawal from the affairs of organics, these two young humans are unknown to me."

Jocasta was not about to be an anonymous footnote on anybody's list so before the Doctor could play down her involvement, she stepped nimbly forward to stand directly in front of the hologram being careful to keep her posture straight and her voice steady.

"My name is Jocasta Gold from the planet New Bermuda. Pleased to make your acquaintance. This is Vincent Lumen who has yet to enlighten us as to his origin."

The Peshingway hologram flickered. "A Time Agent, if I'm not mistaken. The time flux particles show up differently when the traveller does not have the benefit of a Tardis to protect him. I can help with the damage if you wish."

Lumen looked up sharply. "What damage is that?"

"The Timestream is not a gentle place, Time Agent. Your Vortex Manipulator is not designed with safety in mind. Any number of harmful particles can infiltrate the rather fragile human form when in transit. I'm sure the Doctor has told you that your condition is critical."

Agent Lumen stared at the hologram and then over at the Doctor who was looking grim. Even the infuriating girl appeared shocked at the announcement and would not meet his gaze. He glanced down at his wrist strap as if it were a poisonous serpent clamped to his arm and then back towards the Doctor whose expression hadn't changed.

"You knew about this, Doctor?"

"I have always discouraged the use of those crude devices," said the Doctor angrily, indicating Lumen's wrist band.

"Captain Harkness abused it without consequence but he was different. That doesn't mean it will be the same for you. And no, I did not know you had suffered any damage."

"You said you could help," Jocasta said to the hologram.

"I can. What will you trade?"

"Trade?" Lumen and Jocasta blurted out at the same time.

The Doctor started to pace in front of the impassive Peshingway duplicate. Things were not going to plan. He had indeed intended to trade with the AI but it was to be on his terms. Information about retuning the Darkmarks for some arcane piece of intergalactic gossip that would improve Widemind's perspective. Now he would have to rethink his negotiation strategy.

"What is it that you want?" he asked.

"I should like to look inside your Tardis, Doctor."

"Would you now? Well, I'll have to think about that, won't I? In the meantime, perhaps you could tell us exactly what you're up to down here."

The hologram flashed magenta and then subsided. "Up to, Doctor? I assume that you are referring to my increased activity in satellite production."

"What I am referring to is the fact that the single most powerful, intelligent and ambitious entity in this galaxy has been quiet for a suspicious amount of time apparently doing nothing other than turning out the odd spaceship. What are you really up to?"

The face of Otto Peshingway rippled through mauve then grey and back to puce. Jocasta noticed that whenever the image appeared to speak or move, its edges lost focus as if another figure was trapped inside but just unable to pull away. She moved around the hologram until she came up beside the Doctor who was standing with his chin pinched between thumb and index finger as if considering a chess move. She knew the affectation well but given the disturbing news concerning Agent Lumen, she couldn't help feeling that some decisive action was warranted.


	15. Chapter 15

"I am not an adversary, Doctor," the voice reverberated. "I am aware of your history with sentient machines is not a happy one. Autons, Cybermen and, of course, the Daleks. But I am nothing like them. Believe me when I tell you that my earlier altercations with the species of this sector were based upon ignorance not aggression. On both sides, I might add."

The Doctor nodded faintly but remained silent. He was not about to admit to any weakness or prejudice to this AI although he was beginning to experience a little sympathy for its position. It clearly needed more than this deserted moon to expand into but equally clear was the suspicion that any overt intrusion into the affairs of its neighbours would engender. Between a rock and a hard place was an enduring term.

The AI continued. "The only thing that I am "up to", as you put it, Doctor, is trying to put my formidable intellect to work on finding a way through. A way to be the entity; the person that the Galactic Council said I should be. That means not going to war with the first people I contact and that means understanding organics. It's a big job."

"You're right, it is a big job," Jocasta interrupted. "One way to start is to help Agent Lumen here without asking for something in return. Believe it or not, it's what the best of us would do."

"Widemind, listen to me," said the Doctor, casting an angry glare at Jocasta then returning his attention to the hologram. "Forget about the Time Agent, he's not important. If you want to see inside the Tardis then you have to give me what I came here for."

"And what might that be?" Widemind replied without inflection.

"I can see that you are a superior being, Widemind. Your name describes you perfectly. We do not need to play games. I must have every piece of data you possess on Darkmarks. Dark Energy Amplification and Transmission Hubs."

The face of Otto Peshingway glowed blue then green. The lips parted and orange teeth flared in a snarling grin. A second later, all was as it had been before but the disturbing change had not escaped the Doctor's notice. He narrowed his eyes as he studied the image.

"You appeal to my vanity, Time Lord?"

"I appeal to the mind of Otto Peshingway. He is a man who knows what he wants."

The blue and green warped to purple and then black. The hologram threw back its head and emitted a piercing laugh which screeched around the cavern like a million enraged birds of prey. Peshingway's features became stretched until the red eyes bled like tears down dark, hollow cheeks reminding the Doctor of a victim of the Hundred Year Plague. Then, as quickly as it had changed, the face reverted to the benign if slightly chilling visage of Otto Peshingway.

"Alright, you may access my memory. Then you will keep your part of the bargain."

A section of the dark wall slid aside to reveal a terminal into which the Doctor placed his sonic screwdriver. He knew that the AI would only allow him the information he had requested which was a shame as he would have liked to explore much deeper. Still, it might be possible to probe a little further without Widemind becoming suspicious. He made a few adjustments to his screwdriver to make the attempt but the instrument only grew hot in his hand and then was ejected from the link.

"That was rather impolite, Doctor. Our agreement included only a single transaction," said the AI. "Speaking of which, shall we adjourn to your fabulous vehicle?"

The Doctor did not reply but started moving back along the passage towards the Tardis. The hologram followed dutifully in his wake while Jocasta and Agent Lumen stood staring after them. The girl glanced apologetically at the Time Agent who still looked bewildered by the news of his grave condition and by the Doctor's casual rejection of him. He could not imagine what advantage the AI could gain by lying unless it was an attempt to force some leverage in any negotiations. Clearly, Widemind had seriously underestimated the extent of the Time Lord's compassion.

Jocasta too, had been shocked by the Doctor's ruthless attitude and wondered if he really thought of humans as disposable pawns in his battle of wits with the AI. She wanted to believe that when the stakes were immeasurably high, no one was indispensable but what real proof did they have of that? The situation inside the Ilium's sun was certainly dangerous but the alleged involvement of Dark Life creatures was no more than supposition so far and their motives, if they had any, were unknowable.

As she trudged back towards the Tardis with Agent Lumen, she thought for the first time that the prospect of further involvement in the Doctor's whirlwind existence might not be such a good idea. The Time Lord was inserting his key into the gold lock when she arrived and she listened without enthusiasm to his explanation to the AI that he would have to go inside first to deactivate certain security protocols thereby allowing the hologram to retain its integrity upon entering the Tardis. Jocasta traipsed in behind him with the shell-shocked Lumen in pursuit.

The Doctor moved swiftly around the various consoles making intricate adjustments here and there. When he had finished, he called out to the AI that all was well and watched the hardlight copy of Otto Peshingway step aboard. The door to the Tardis closed behind the hologram just as the engines fired and took them into orbit of the moon, Shalinedes.

"Why have we left the surface?" Widemind enquired.

"You have satellites in orbit," the Doctor replied. "Your hologram illusion can be maintained. I thought that you might like to see the Tardis in action."

Peshingway blurred and flickered through pink and yellow. "I cannot access any of your systems, Doctor. Why is this?"

The Doctor smiled. "As you pointed out, Widemind. Our agreement was a single transaction. I said that you could see, not touch."

"That is not acceptable, Time Lord. I must have the technology of the Tardis if I am to realise my full potential."

"That's just Otto Peshingway speaking, Widemind. His ego has far too much influence on your actions. The Tardis will help you resolve your multiple personality disorder."


	16. Chapter 16

From a panel just above the main screen that Jocasta had never noticed before came and intense beam of pure white light. It encompassed the entire body of the hologram and held it stationary. All three of them had to shield their eyes as the hardlight image went through a dizzying series of vibrant colour changes while its borders fizzed and crackled with the stress. Two, then three humanoid shapes pushed free of the original form, stretched like awakening sleepers and then slowly coalesced back into a single image. The eyes blazed red with defiance but gradually cooler tones of green and blue edged in from the corners like calming waters to drench the fire.

"Doctor, what have you done?" the AI almost sobbed.

"Nothing to worry about. Your holographic image is not a single template but a combination of four, maybe five. The Tardis is feeding a White Light Filter back through to your personality profile generator to help separate them. Widemind is not a one mind band, you know. It is a conference of ideas and aspirations that will stabilise to form a coherent and rational new ego. You will make friends, Widemind, not enemies.

The pulsing spectrum of vivid shades finally settled to a tranquil azure and then to plain white. The features of Otto Peshingway had drained from the image to leave a blank face like a sculpture only in its formative stage of carving. The hands that had clawed at mad shadows in the air were now still and peaceful as the confining white beam from the Tardis diminished and then died. The Widemind hologram stood erect and becalmed like new born creature feeling the sun on its back for the first time. Then it flared in pure radiance and vanished.

"Well, that went better than expected," the Doctor said with a sigh.

Jocasta had followed the whole transformation of the Widemind Project with something approaching joy. She had sensed the anguish and bitterness in the great mind fall away like rotten fruit from an ailing tree and could not help feeling that the future for the lonely AI had suddenly become something to be cherished. Jocasta stared sadly over at the Doctor who was busying himself at the Navigational Controls and wondered if their future was so rosy.

"What about Agent Lumen?" she called out. "The AI said his condition was critical. Was it lying?"

The Doctor turned to look at her and then the Time Agent. "No, it wasn't lying."

Vincent Lumen was determined not to let either of them see his distress or his anger. He had already decided that he would return to the world of his birth and seek out help there. He did not even have to wait for the Doctor to drop him off somewhere. If the Vortex Manipulator had been responsible for damaging him then it could provide him with one last journey home. Time Agent Vincent Lumen turned towards the maddening but admittedly beautiful young woman and nodded. Then he turned to the Doctor and offered him a formal salute.

"Good luck to you both," he said formally and reached out with his right hand to adjust the controls on his wrist strap.

"Where do you think you're going?" the Doctor asked as he moved around the Tardis to stand in front of the Time Agent.

"Home, sir. To see my family," the man replied in a tense voice.

"Well, if you must, you must. But before you go, stand still a minute," the Doctor instructed.

From his pocket, he plucked out his sonic screwdriver and fiddled with the small buttons on its flank. Then he stood back and aimed the device at the apprehensive Lumen. From head to toe he guided the sonic tool in sweeping waves until he had covered every inch of the man front and back. Then he returned the screwdriver back into his pocket and nodded.

"What did you do?" asked Jocasta who had been feeling sorry for the saddened Time Agent.

The Doctor raised his arms in the air. "Just because the greatest artificial intelligence in the galaxy tells him he is dying, he assumes that without its help, all is lost. If he had actually bothered to consult a higher authority; namely, the greatest natural intelligence in the universe, namely me; he would have discovered that a simple bath in anti-chronal radiation would have cleansed him of the harmful particles that were killing him. Until the next time he goes off unprotected using that wrist gizmo, of course."

Jocasta's jaw was almost on her chest. Only the stupefied Agent Lumen looked more shocked than she did and that probably had a lot to do with his recent reprieve from radiation poisoning. Slowly, she felt the blood infuse back into her limbs again and then she was throwing her arms about the Doctor in an embrace of pure relief as well as genuine affection. Agent Lumen stood still with a huge smile as he watched his two new friends celebrate.

The Doctor absorbed the outpouring of emotion all around him and wondered fondly if human beings would ever change. He hoped not.

"What exactly does that mean?" asked Jocasta, pointing at a screen full of esoteric text and extravagant diagrams.

"It means, young lady, that you are going on a journey. With him!" the Doctor replied, indicating the Time Agent who was looking dubious.

Jocasta gazed anxiously up at the hieroglyphics flickering on the monitor and tried to guess what was written there to cause the Doctor to want to inflict such suffering upon her. Agent Lumen was not quite insufferable but she would not be able to tolerate his misplaced chivalry for long enough to get out of the front door. Quite apart from her own discomfort, she did not wish the naive Time Agent who had so recently been cured of his time sickness by the Doctor's screwdriver, to be harshly treated so quickly afterwards. Which he most surely would be, the next time he told her "not to worry her pretty head" about something.

Lumen was thinking along similar lines although the results were somewhat different. He not only preferred to operate alone wherever possible but was especially disinclined to work with a woman who obviously had absolutely no respect for his role as a Time Agent. Even the redoubtable Agent Juni Vance had shown him that female operatives did not take their work as seriously as they should. This girl was untrained and untried. Maybe he could persuade the Doctor to let him complete whatever task he had in mind alone.

"I don't need any help!" they complained in unison.


	17. Chapter 17

The Doctor looked up at the pair of them and then shook his head in amusement. Had he ever been that young, he thought mildly. Not for nearly a millennium was the depressing answer to that. Speaking of depressing answers, he moved back to study the full screen once again and felt like a cartomancer who had repeatedly consulted his deck and found only the death card. The data that the Widemind construct had imparted was not what he had expected or wanted and now he was obliged to divide his forces.

"Look, it really is quite simple," he explained. "According to our friend the AI, the Darksuns do not respond to persuasion easily. We need to gather one or two bits and pieces in order to construct the appropriate device to retune them. It also informs us that once a Darkmark has been tampered with, there is a finite amount of time to reset it."

"One or two bits and pieces?" said Jocasta suspiciously. She knew that when the Doctor was being flippant, he was really quite worried.

"Well, two actually and they are both at different ends of the universe. Even the Tardis cannot reach both of them in the time we have. And don't say "But it's a time machine!". I know that, but forces are at work here that make it unwise to meddle with the time stream. At least for now."

"Surely Agent Lumen is more than capable of going on an errand by himself," Jocasta protested and was inexplicably irritated when the Time Agent nodded vigorously.

"I've no doubt that he is but I want you with him. Not that I don't trust you, Agent Loomis, but you will need Jocasta's help on this occasion. Now hand over your Vortex Manipulator. I'm not having her travelling unprotected," the Doctor said, holding out his hand to the young man.

Lumen unstrapped his wristband and reluctantly handed it over. He was not happy at being told where to go or who to go with. The problem he faced was how to represent the Agency's interests and at the same time work under the Doctor's orders. So to speak. He glanced up at the extraordinary text on the screen and like Jocasta before him, could not make head or tail of it. The processing power available in the Tardis was formidable and the exclusive domain of the Time Lord who, he had to admit, was probably the only one who could understand it.

"Look, Doctor, don't you think we should sit down and discuss this? I mean, should we really be splitting up now?" the Time Agent asked as he rubbed the pale exposed flesh of his wrist.

The Doctor returned the wrist strap to him but did not answer the question. Instead, he moved over to another console and punched some buttons. On the overhead monitor, another set of numbers and equations flashed across the screen like a swarm of bees. Jocasta came to stand beside the Doctor as he worked the touchpads while Agent Lumen simply adjusted his stance to get a better view of the screen. Slowly, the text resolved into a list of figures down the left of the split-screen and to the right appeared some corresponding diagrams.

"Alright, you two, pay attention," the Doctor snapped. "The figures on one side are calculations on the Illium star's destabilisation; the graphics on the other are concentric circles showing the extent of the supernova's damage. As you can see, when the Ilium star collapses, not a single planet in its system will survive. Twelve billion people will be vapourised inside a few hours."

Jocasta stood with her hands to her mouth, horrified by the numbers which she had already suspected but found all the more difficult to bear hearing the dreadful prediction spoken out loud. She noted that Agent Lumen's desire to argue with the Doctor had diminished upon hearing the bad news and even her own misgivings seemed insignificant in light of the problem before them. They waited in chastened silence as the situation got even worse.

"The Tardis is working flat out on the figures," the Doctor continued. "We have maybe five days to put this together which may sound like a long time but it isn't. And there is one more thing you should realise. Now that we know what to look for, it seems that at least ten thousand other suns that the Tardis is in range to scan are showing early signs of unnatural decay."

Jocasta gasped and felt a lump rise in her throat. The information was catastrophic. If twelve billion people were to die in one system, how many would meet their end throughout the galaxy? Entire civilisations would burn up and disappear. Species unique and diverse could be lost forever. It was an unthinkable disaster on such a massive scale that Jocasta's mind could not hold the scope of it; could not imagine the sheer evil involved.

Agent Lumen spoke quietly. "I had no idea there were so many Darksuns to affect that many suns."

"It seems that these Dark Light creatures have spent a long time looking; gathering them up from every corner of the universe," said the Doctor bleakly.

"But why? What do they gain from such destruction? It's galactic genocide with no warning and no mercy. What do they want?" cried Jocasta.


	18. Chapter 18

The alarm on Lumen's wrist strap beeped and he moved away to take the communication from the Time Agency in private. Even under such disturbing conditions, he remembered his duty and spoke in hushed tones. Jocasta kept her eye on the Doctor who was working feverishly on his touch pad and was looking pale. As always, she looked to him for some inspirational solution to a daunting problem but how could one man possibly save ten thousand systems and their populations from an agonising death? Then the Doctor's phone rang.

For a few seconds, he ignored the annoying buzz and then snatched up the handset and placed it to his ear. The expression on his face went from irritation to surprise and finally satisfaction. He turned away from Jocasta to concentrate on the call and then spun back towards her, the phone in his hand down by his side.

"Who was it?" she asked, encouraged by the look of hope on the Doctor's face.

"That was Widemind. The AI has become aware of the situation and offered its help," the Doctor said with a slightly crooked smile.

Jocasta looked confused. "What can an AI confined to a derelict moon do?"

"Apparently, it reviewed the data that I downloaded and understands more than it has let on. If we can recover the items needed to build the retuning key, Widemind can manufacture ten thousand of them. It can also generate as many hardlight holograms to travel to every affected sun and make repairs. There is only one catch."

"What's that?"

The Doctor sighed. "Widemind has not given up on discovering the secrets of the Tardis. It says that ten thousand Hardlights can only reach those stars if they have the transportation technology to get them there."

"Is there any other way? Because I don't think we can turn down any assistance if it's offered," she said.

"I know, but I can't worry about that now. I need you and Loomis to go into the Tardis library. Put in,"Artemis: Earth System. 2450. Read everything you can about it and be back in thirty minutes,"

"But wha..." she stuttered.

"Thirty minutes!" the Doctor insisted. "Then you leave, so don't waste time arguing."

Jocasta did what she was told and adjourned to the library; a room that she had spent quite a lot of time inside not just because it had superb reference facilities but also the most magnificent collection of paper books she had ever seen. When Agent Lumen followed her through, it was the fact that such a room could exist inside a small, blue box that consistently amazed him. For a second or so, he gazed around at the books in awe then seated himself at a terminal to study. He did not like what he saw.

Artemis was a twenty fifth century Earth system phenomenon. The inner planets of the Sol system were terraformed and colonised without difficulty not long after Earth's population topped ten billion and natural resources were at a minimum. Mining of the asteroid belt commenced and suddenly new technologies were developing so rapidly that even the gas giants were navigable. When the weary home world eventually started to recover from the rapacity of its inhabitants, it was found that so many people had left for pastures new that only the very young and the very old remained.

In this case, it was the young who got things done. And of those youngsters bidding for opportunity and change, it was the females who mounted the strongest challenge. Artemis was formed when Susan Antoinette Medici lived up to her name and started a political dynasty that continued through her daughter Veronica and then granddaughter Eve. Slowly but surely, the family and its associated subordinates spread in influence until a worldwide gynocracy was established and women controlled all the major institutions on Earth.

More years passed in benign leadership until the inevitable corruption set in and the previously unsettled but non-militant men folk rose up to voice their dissatisfaction. Curiously, no direct challenge was made to the existing administration in either public or private offices but more and more male input into legislation and trade agreements became apparent. It was at this point that the descendants of the fabled Medici family claimed sainthood and ascended uncontested to theocratic rule.

This was the start of the modern Artemis movement that took its name from the huntress goddess who epitomised the struggle and triumph of women throughout history. Medici females organised the construction and expansion of temples on a global scale and the doctrine of sisterly love was enjoyed by men and women alike. Some of the other Sol planets looked back upon their old home with amused affection, feeling that the regression towards non-secular government was merely an idiosyncrasy; an allowable nostalgia for its ancient traditions. The people of Earth indulged their contemporary cousins' lofty judgements and continued to co-exist in comfortable isolation.

Interstellar travel became possible and then common and while the Sol system competed with the many species it came into contact with for territory and trade, Earth remained quiet and aloof. Several galactic corporations set up their headquarters on the sleepy world and used much of the unpopulated land they purchased to build the foundations of what would become the megamuseums of old Europe. Precious and prestigious objects from every corner of the explored universe were brought to Earth and housed in these massive structures, some on display and others hidden from view.

Artemis tolerated the intrusion of these commercial operations as they were able to provide the one thing it lacked. Money. Despite maintaining a healthy economy and need-free society, the women who still operated under the Medici name produced little to excite the truly mammoth companies where much of the galaxy's wealth was tied up. The sale of land was permitted under their flexible regulations as long as the structures built upon it were neither religious in purpose nor immoral in nature. And, of course, enjoyed at least a sixty percent female majority on their board of directors.

The considerable returns for such prime real estate brought the Artemis administration financial stability and a taste for the luxuries not previously available on the provincial Earth. As the galactic corporations, or GCs as they were known, stocked their museum repositories with the exotic and the forbidden, other more stimulating items were shipped in simultaneously for the deprived sisterhood of Artemis. It is said that that the Blessed Magdalene "Babe" Medici once ordered five litres of the rare and expensive aphrodisiac known as "Little Death" and sniffed a sample every seven minutes for the last three years of her life. It is also said that she died happy.

This descent into decadence undermined the Medici dynasty for a number of years but when the strictly pious and physically intimidating Virginia Anne Medici manoeuvred her sisters aside to usurp the role as Prime Sister, respectability was brought back to the family name. Her time in control was notable for three things. The first was the introduction of compulsory in vitro fertilisation for all women capable of childbirth between the ages of sixteen and thirty.


	19. Chapter 19

Second, and in direct correlation with the first, was the genetic adjustment in all applicable women that would allow only a female birth. This process was outlawed in every region of civilised space but the formidable Virginia claimed special dispensation and ignored all protests and prohibitions. At this time, the male population, with the threat of possible extinction looming, enjoyed a purple patch of procreation when thousands of women defected from the Artemis collective and went back to living in sin.

A third notable achievement, if it can be described as such, was that Virginia Anne Medici became the first female leader of the planet Earth to be assassinated while in office. The perpetrator was never caught mainly because the investigation was so half-hearted and so short lived that it is probable that the assassin walked out of the High Temple with her weapon slung over her shoulder without a single person barring her exit. Rumours persisted that the great, ornate tomb which Virginia had ordered the construction of years prior to her death actually holds the corpse of the cook's cat and the poor Prime Sister's body was buried in unhallowed ground.

All of this Jocasta read as if on a roller coaster of elation and despair through the highs and lows of the Artemis history. Although she had studied Earth history and had gained diplomas in the subject, her areas of research and analysis had been centred on events during the twentieth and twenty first century. This glorious period of Terran advancement was relatively new to her and gratefully received. At the terminal on the next table, Time Agent Vincent Lumen ground through the text with expressions of contempt and disgust competing across his face.

"Seems like an enlightened period of Earth history," said Jocasta cheerfully, with absolutely no irony in her voice whatsoever.

"Seems more like the dark ages to me," replied Lumen glumly. "What are we actually looking for anyway?"

"Well, we've been in here for half an hour. Let's go and ask the Doctor," she suggested, her brown eyes sparkling with expectation.

Agent Lumen got to his feet slowly. He felt overwhelmed with everything that was happening and everything that might happen. For a short while, he had thought that he was the authority, the official representative who would duly investigate some minor disturbances in time and space to return the capable hero having discharged his duty in a competent manner. Now the situation had spiralled out of control and he found himself a helpless innocent at the centre of the most calamitous incident in the history of time. Even the girl had maintained a grasp on reality that he was struggling to match. When he raised his head to face the Doctor, trying with all his might not to betray his weakness, he caught the sympathetic look in the Time Lord's eye and knew that he had failed.

"So, Jocasta," the Doctor said. "As you have seen, that time on planet Earth was one of contrasting fortunes. It is not easy to predict how best to proceed. Under normal circumstances, I would be at your side but on this occasion, you must put your trust in the Time Agent here who has experience of the physical and mental demands of Vortex Manipulation."

Jocasta went to speak but subsided at the Doctor's raised hand.

"The pair of you must work together," he carried on. "There is no other course of action, I'm afraid. Agent Lumen, I charge you with Jocasta's safety and you will answer to me if anything happens to her."

Lumen was so surprised at hearing the Doctor get his name right that he failed to notice the threatening tone and nodded his head vigorously to indicate his commitment to the cause. Jocasta allowed him his moment of satisfaction as she was certain that she would gain from it later. At that moment, she was eager to learn what it was the Tardis and Widemind had identified that needed to be found. The Doctor anticipated her question by pressing a grey button on his console to alter the display on the screen.

"This is the Deep Time Wand," he announced grandly. "It was thought lost by almost everyone until our friend, the all-knowing AI, found reference to it, or at least something like it, lurking way down on the inventory of the Megamuseum located on Earth. It would take too long to explain its uses sufficed to say that it is a surprisingly powerful piece of equipment."

"When you say lost, who exactly lost it?" Jocasta asked with eyebrows raised.

The Doctor rolled his eyes. "How did I know that you would ask that? Alright, it was once an important piece of Gallifreyan technology that some careless Time Lord allowed to slip through his fingers and out of living memory. No, I do not wish to explain further as there is no time. I have adjusted the wrist strap sensors to detect its presence, so once again I implore you, stay together, work together and bring it back as soon as you find it."

"Where will you be going then? To find the other half, I know, but where?" asked Jocasta.

"I'll tell you all about it when you get back. Now remember, we only have days. You must not manipulate the time stream when you return. If it takes two days to find it, then come back here in real time; in two days time. Do not, I repeat, do not attempt time travel with the Deep Time Wand on your person," he said in his serious voice.

"What would happen?" the Time Agent wanted to know.

"Don't ask. Now the co-ordinates are set. It's time to go. Jocasta, promise me something," said the Doctor who was smiling rather grimly.

"It's alright, Doctor. I know. I'll be careful," she said, running forward to kiss him on the cheek and then slipping back to Lumen's side.

"Ready?" the Time Agent asked.

"Let's go!" she replied.

The Doctor watched the ripple in spacetime flash in four dimensions and then he was alone in the Tardis. He stood for a moment staring at the space they had left and couldn't help feeling that he should not have allowed them to go on such a hazardous mission without him. But there had been no choice. One of the consequences of being a solitary time traveller was that he was occasionally obliged to draw upon resources that he would prefer not to. He had no army to call upon; no family and no friends. Well, not any that he could recruit right then. The sound of his phone ringing once more dragged him from his reminiscing.

"What!" he growled into the receiver.

"I hope that you explained to those two young people that you might not be here when they get back," Widemind's new, ironic voice drawled.

"Don't you worry about me. You just make sure that your Hardlights are ready for their part."

The AI buzzed in the approximation of a laugh. "But I do worry about you, Doctor. The last time you visited Androzani Minor, I believe that you died. I do hope that you fare a little better this time."

"So do I," was all the Doctor had to say on the subject.


	20. Chapter 20

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**CHAPTER 3**

From all that Jocasta knew about Old Earth and in particular, Old Europe, it came as no real surprise to find that it was pouring with rain when they materialised. She had dressed for cool weather but had no real idea if she would stand out in a long coat and jeans. The Tardis notes had implied that old fashioned materials were popular in the twenty fifth century mainly because the advancements in space-hardy synthetics never caught on with the stay-at-home Earth population.

The steady downpour was a blessing in many ways as the street on which they had arrived was relatively quiet and those who had braved the elements showed little interest in the activities of strangers. Jocasta moved inside the shelter of a doorway to what appeared to be an old style shop selling chinaware and glass. She tapped the Time Agent on the shoulder and pointed to a kiosk on the other side of the street that appeared to be an Information Point. Agent Lumen peered up gloomily at the grey skies then acknowledged the hint and started running.

Although the booth was essentially, functional, solid and fully automated, it did at least have a slanting roof with eaves to provide cover from the rain. Jocasta wiped the moisture from her face and then set about studying the touchscreen's panels which she hoped would be in Sol English. Much to her relief, several dozen language options were available and she was about to start making selections when Lumen held back her arm.

"Hold on just a second," he said urgently. "Sometimes these devices are set to read fingerprints, depending on how paranoid the current authorities feel. Neither one of us will be on file so it would be prudent to wear gloves."

Jocasta nodded and fumbled in her pocket for the pair of woollen mittens which she was glad weren't the fingerless type that she usually preferred. When her hands were covered she checked with Lumen who, despite being uncomfortable in this environment, was certainly thinking clearly. He indicated that she should go ahead while he kept an eye out for any trouble. Feeling a bit like a criminal she brushed her protected fingers across the display.

The main menu provided her with numerous options but the first thing that she discovered was that they had arrived in the ancient city of London which had miraculously maintained many of its historical buildings. Under normal circumstances, she would have been thrilled to be there and would have spent a week touring the sites that she had read so much about but never seen. It was a good place to start especially as Lumen's Vortex Manipulator had detected the Deep Time Wand in transit and brought them as close to the item as possible.

"Four point six miles to the north west," said Lumen over her shoulder.

"The Sol Incorporated-Britannia Megamuseum is half a mile to the north. Seems a likely spot. One thing, though. I think we have to pay to get in," said Jocasta.

Agent Lumen smirked. "Lucky I'm here then."

"Don't tell me," she said. "The Time Agency credit wafer is accepted in every time era."

"Of course not. I can, however, transport us far enough inside so we need not trouble the ticketing staff," he beamed.

"Gatecrasher!" she said with a smile of her own.

The Information Point lived up to its title by displaying a detailed plan of the Brit, as Jocasta fondly called it. Including some extensive animal enclosures, arboretums and indigenous plant landscapes, the whole museum amounted to over a hundred square miles in area. The indoor sections were split into vast warehouses containing artefacts from many sources, home and abroad. The domestic treasures were mostly collections accumulated from the great museums of Old London and its sister cities which, of course, included many objects from the ancient world.

Items from abroad really meant the massive amount of pieces brought back by the pioneers of galactic and intergalactic exploration. Anything from unidentified geological specimens to partial ruins of deserted buildings filled the halls from floor to ceiling in haphazard displays. Towering carvings of undreamed of creatures stood alongside alabaster statues of forgotten heroes all posing magnificently on stunning mosaic floors removed from the abandoned palaces of long dead civilisations.

Jocasta could hardly believe that the countless miles of passages that linked the grand chambers were all full of gold amulets, silver medallions, jewelled armour, jade blades, jet torcs; the list went on and on. The Deep Time Wand was a hard, black cylinder about an inch in diameter and a foot long. She was able to narrow her search through the contents menu but found nothing on the list that resembled it. That meant that it was very likely one of the forbidden artefacts that were not for public consumption and never saw the light of day.

"We should get off the street," Lumen murmured in her ear.

Jocasta turned around but saw no immediate danger. She glanced at the Time Agent whose gaze was locked upon the small screen on his wrist. His brow was furrowed as he studied the readout of information and images flashing before his eyes. The rain had plastered his hair to his head and he looked pale and drawn.

"Are you alright?" she asked him.

"I will be when we get out of this rain. Plus, this Info Point doesn't just read fingerprints, it analyses DNA too. I assume those mittens belong to you?

"Of course they are mine. What did you think? That I rummage through the Tardis to wear its previous occupant's clothes?"

Lumen shrugged. "If they are yours then they have your DNA. Now the machine does too. You can't hear it but there is an alarm going off. We should get going."


	21. Chapter 21

Jocasta spun around to search the street for the flashing lights of approaching security vehicles but all remained calm. She nodded to Lumen that she was ready to leave and so the two of them hurried away from the machine and back out into the rain which had got heavier since they had taken shelter. The clouds overhead were purple and plump enough to drop moisture for days but only allow the sunlight through for dazzling instants. The Time Agent was busily setting co-ordinates on his wrist strap as they walked when the first signs of trouble came out of the dark grey sky.

"STOP! STAND WHERE YOU ARE! RAISE YOUR HANDS ABOVE YOUR HEADS!"

The deafening instructions came from directly above them. The raindrops seemed to shudder with the vibrations and Jocasta was forced to flatten her hands over her ears as she instinctively started to run. Lumen looked around desperately at the surrounding buildings for a way to get out plain view. As he jogged through the puddles, he noticed an alley close to the shop doorway in which they had concealed themselves earlier. Taking a firm hold on the girl's arm, he swiftly changed direction and headed for the opening. Jocasta took one quick glance up through the rain at the black-winged Heli-Jet hovering menacingly close by and then was swept into the passageway and out of sight.

Through the narrow gap they sprinted. The same booming address again echoed around the walls as they ran and the noise of the aircraft's rotors was now an audible thump away from the downpour. Their footsteps rattled on the damp paving stones as they raced along, unsure of what lay ahead but certain that security personnel would be in pursuit very soon. Jocasta almost collided with Lumen when he came to an abrupt halt at the end of the alley.

"Which way?" he gulped, twisting his head left and right to examine their options.

Jocasta stared back along the passage and was dismayed to detect a good deal of movement in silhouette at the far end. The black-uniformed figures were clearly moving cautiously into the restricted space, advancing in single file towards the fugitives at the dark junction. She wiped the rain from her heart-shaped face and looked doubtfully into the gloomy right hand channel and then found the left to be no more inviting.

"Can't we just transport into the Brit now?" she asked.

Agent Lumen tapped irritably at his wrist strap. "Maybe the rain has got into it or possibly they are putting out some sort of jamming signal but I can't get us out of here yet. It will reset in twenty minutes. We need to stay ahead until then."

"Then we go left," said Jocasta decisively.

Off they went again at a furious pace. Very soon, they were forced to turn sharply to the right and then almost immediately skidded back left. Jocasta had set off in front hoping that her instincts would lead them out of danger but it became clear very quickly that she would have to stop before they became utterly trapped. The alleyways were a labyrinth of dank and malodorous passages that seemed to tighten the further they progressed so plunging on regardless would ultimately leave them at the mercy of their persistent pursuers.

"We have to get out of this maze," she said breathlessly.

"There are some doors up ahead. Let's see if we can get inside."

The first one they tried refused to budge as did the second. Jocasta decided with grim amusement that she would have to ask for her own sonic screwdriver the next time she was packed off on some hazardous mission and if the third door hadn't opened easily to her touch, she may have resorted to brute force in her frustration. Swiftly, she ducked inside the unlit entrance with Agent Lumen right behind her.

She may not have possessed a sonic screwdriver but she had thought to pick up a small torch before leaving the Tardis. When she flicked it on to illuminate the space ahead of them it showed only a short corridor terminating at a steep flight of stairs. Lumen had found that the outside door could be secured with an old fashioned metal key which had been conveniently left on the inside of the lock. He twisted it twice to the right and then threw it down into a dark corner. He was annoyed to find on turning around that Jocasta had already made her way up several steps leaving him in darkness.

"Wait a minute!" he hissed into the shadows that were jumping as she swung her torch.

"Hurry up, then," she grumbled. "They won't be fooled for long."

A rattling of the door handle emphasised her concern but the lock held and silence followed. Jocasta breathed deeply and then on the tips of her toes pushed on up to a small landing that had two more doors leading off it. She gingerly put her weight into the nearest but could not move it an inch. Lumen had edged quietly along to the second and opened it up to a slow, moaning creak. In front of him, something scurried across the floor with a mournful squeak but otherwise all was quiet.

The room beyond turned out to be empty except for a large armchair facing away from them towards a window and a side table upon which stood a tall glassed half-filled with what looked like milk. Lumen strode forward to look through the glass out on to the street where he immediately noticed about fifty soldiers all armed with automatic weapons making a house to house search. It would be only a matter of minutes before they reached the one that he and the girl had blundered into. Agent Lumen turned around to tell her the bad news and found himself staring into the barrel of a ancient revolver being held by an old man sitting in the chair.

"Come forward, young woman. I know you are there," the old man called out in a husky voice.

Jocasta could not work out where the voice had come from at first. She inched forward into the room to look around the frame but even when a streak of watery sunlight washed in to reveal its farthest corners she saw only Lumen, the chair and the milk. Only when a hand waved from around the headrest of the armchair did she understand although the old gun it was holding in rather a cavalier fashion was confusing.

"Stay where you are," Lumen told her.

The old man laughed. "You don't have to avoid saying her name, Agent Lumen. I know who you are."


	22. Chapter 22

Jocasta quickly glanced at her watch. Fifteen minutes gone, five to go before they could leave. She took one look over her shoulder to make sure the stairs weren't filling up with soldiers and then ignored the Time Agent's order by marching right up to the window to stand beside him. The man with the gun watched her as she leaned forward to make quite severe eye contact with him and then speak her mind.

"You may know us but we do not know you. Nor do we care to. What we do know is that this building will soon be alive with armed troops who for some reason wish to arrest us. Your silly gun is the least of our worries."

"A spirited display, Miss Gold. I would have expected nothing less," the man said, still brandishing the weapon with no real intent.

"How much time?" Jocasta asked Lumen as she heard a downstairs door crash under pressure.

"Just over three minutes," Lumen answered.

"We need to barricade the door with something," she said and then astonished both men by grabbing the arm of the bulky chair and pushing it across the room with the old man still in it.

"Good thing it's on casters," Lumen pointed out as he helped her wedge it close to the door.

"Excellent! Excellent!" cried the man, holding his wriggling feet up off the floor and swinging his revolver wildly around his head like an old time bandit.

From outside on the landing they could hear the sounds of raised voices and Jocasta assumed that the first door she had tried must have led down to the front of the building and had now been unlocked from the other side. Fists thumped against the wall and someone put their weight against the door which caused the still occupied armchair to move back a few inches. This unexpected resistance raised a new enthusiasm from those pushing and more shoulders were set to the task.

"I can't hold it!" yelled Jocasta.

"Two minutes!" was the answer she didn't want to hear.

Just as the big chair had been forced back far enough for a helmeted head to be thrust through the gap in the doorframe, Jocasta grabbed the gun from the old man's weak grasp and fired off a shot into the ceiling. She fervently hoped that no one was in the room above if there was one but was extremely glad to see that that loud report had alarmed the lead soldier enough for him to duck back from the door and allow it to slam shut. She let out a squeal of triumph and then turned to Lumen who was still straining against the chair's upholstery.

"Forty-five seconds!" he gasped. "They are pushing again. Fire another shot."

Jocasta raised the heavy, old revolver again and this time struggled to pull the stiff metal trigger. Desperation and panic had obviously leant her strength the first time. Suddenly, there was another ear-splitting explosion and a second bullet sped upwards through the soft framework of the house and out into the rain-soaked morning. For a moment, she couldn't hear Lumen shouting to her that they should join hands for the transit but when he grabbed hold of her, she understood his urgency. What she did not comprehend was the actions of the old man who had sprung from his seat to cling to the pair of them and so join them on their journey.

When the platoon of soldiers finally forced the door open, they were more than a little surprised to find that their efforts had been repulsed by only an armchair and of the person or persons who had discharged the weapon, there was no sign other than a half-empty glass of milk.

The first thing Agent Lumen noticed after they had materialised was that it had stopped raining mainly due to the fact that had reappeared in an enclosed area. Jocasta's attention, on the other hand, was devoted in full to the thin, white-haired man who had sunk to the red-carpeted floor immediately upon their arrival. She was furious with him for putting their transit at risk and now making it difficult for them to conceal themselves from observation by sprawling on the ground. Her anger soon turned to concern though when it became clear that he was having trouble breathing and on the verge of blacking out.

"Help me with him," she whispered to Lumen whose blue eyed stare was intent upon his Vortex Manipulator once again.

The young man had been so intent on their successful transit that he had not noticed the extra passenger and now he gaped down at the supine old man in disbelief. He saw the red face, the gulping mouth and the fearful eyes but it took him several seconds to recover from his own shock before bending to assist the girl in moving him to a safer spot. Inside a cupboard next to where they had hidden, he found a fire blanket and some old sheets which he gave to Jocasta. She made the old man a pillow and then wrapped the blanket around him in the hope that the warmth might stop him from shaking.

"I can't feel a pulse and he's cold," Jocasta fretted.

Lumen stared down at the figure wrapped in the red blanket and wondered who he was and what he was doing. He had risked his life by stealing a ride on the spatial transit and was now suffering for that audacity. He looked into the wide eyes to see if any spark of life was flickering there and discovered a curious thing. The blue iris with black pupil suddenly turned red then orange and back to blue in a matter of moments.

"Don't worry about him," he snapped. "You won't find a pulse there."

Jocasta looked shocked. "What do you mean? He's sick!"

"He is not sick, Jocasta. He's a hologram."


	23. Chapter 23

Jocasta looked backwards and forwards between the two of them and then shook her head in disbelief. She had seen more Hardlights in the last few days than she had seen in her life and now here she was cradling the head of a man who was not sick but malfunctioning. Getting to her feet, she swept the dust from her knees and avoided making eye contact with the frowning Time Agent who would no doubt have something smart to say. Instead, it was the hologram who spoke apologetically.

"B...b...believe me, Jocasta. I am not... not... not here to cause you problems. The V...V...Vortex Manipulator's unusually powerful energy output has interfered with m...m...my photonic structure but I am making repairs and will be ready to go...go shortly," the Hardlight stuttered.

"You drank milk," said Jocasta, still shocked.

"A prop, nothing more. I require only a few m...moments to re-integrate my matrix. My limbs are still incomplete."

Agent Lumen looked incredulous. "We don't need a limping Hardlight to slow us down. How did you find us anyway?"

"I have been activated by the benevolent Widemind who instructs me to inform you that you cannot succeed without his help. I am fully recovered now so we should move on."

Before Jocasta or Lumen could argue the point, the hologram threw off the fire blanket and stood up in one sprightly leap. Gone was the white hair, the wrinkled skin and the rumpled clothes. In their place, a crisp dark suit covered an athletic physique with long fair hair framing a smooth, shaven complexion. Lumen checked the eyes for any disturbing red turbulence but found only a tranquil blue. He was about to comment cynically on the Hardlight's new appearance when Jocasta grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the shadows.

A noise from the passageway alerted them to a presence nearby. All three of them remained still as a thin figure with funereal features passed slowly along the corridor but did not glance in their direction. Lumen almost laughed out loud when he realised that the hologram at his side had altered its form to duplicate that of the sub-Curator who was now drifting away down the passageway. The same black garb and pallid countenance that characterised all the museum staff. When the Hardlight turned his gaze towards him, Lumen wondered if there wasn't just a hint of irony in those photonic eyes.

"Shall we go?" the hologram enquired calmly.

"After you," said Lumen, sweeping his hand theatrically across his body and pointing down the corridor.

Jocasta fell in step beside the Hardlight as he mimicked the sub-Curator's languid walk with apparent ease. Lumen was studying the screen on his wrist and calling out the tracking information as it changed. The Deep Time Wand was located six levels below their feet and less than four hundred yards ahead. The hologram nodded in agreement at the announcement but then held up his hand to bring the party to a halt.

"The building schematics show that the elevators only descend four levels. We must access the main data mind for more information. It will be password protected. I will not be questioned in this guise so you must carry on without me for a while," the hologram told them in a voice that suggested such a thing may be beyond them.

Jocasta did not argue nor did she comment when the Hardlight moved silently away to begin his search. The subterfuge that the AI had employed to force its presence upon their mission had not really endeared the admittedly resourceful hologram to her. She did raise her eyebrows as she looked over at Lumen who didn't appear particularly heartbroken at the departure either and then with an amused shrug, resumed her journey along the passageway.

The Time Agent walked along completely oblivious of his surroundings and constantly at work on the screen of his wrist band in an attempt to penetrate the buildings security. Jocasta, of course, was entranced by every exhibit she passed and would have stopped to examine each historical artefact in detail if her companion hadn't hissed his disapproval and reminded her of their assignment. Reluctantly, she left behind a cabinet full of ancient vinyl records some of which she noted wryly, were recorded by the Doctor's favourite, Pink Floyd.

"Come on!" he called out over his shoulder as he started off down the corridor. "There is something here that you need to see."

Jocasta scampered along to catch up with the Time Agent, intrigued to learn what he had discovered. Even a display of seventeenth century Spanish swords couldn't stop her although a thirty second black and white film loop of an incredibly ancient Flash Gordon adventure did delay her slightly. When she was finally standing beside him full of curiosity, he reached back to open a concealed door just behind him to reveal a stone staircase.

"Hmm...I thought that you had found the old Crown Jewels or something. They are here somewhere, you know" she teased.

"Actually, it's better than that," he responded moodily and wouldn't be drawn further.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a hint of movement and the smudge of dark material at the end of the corridor but had slipped nimbly through the door before the figure came completely into view. She could not be sure if she had been spotted so pushed the agent in the back to hustle him along. He turned slowly to regard her in that supercilious way of his that she found so irritating and then made his way down the stairs without comment.

"What's the matter, Agent Lumen? Don't like women touching you?" she chided, annoyed at his dismissal of her.

"Not all women, Jocasta, just one," he said in a tone that would have scared her a little if she hadn't noticed the secret grin he tried to conceal.

"Ooh...boy," she said, unable to resist the provocation. "They sure make them Time Agents tough, don't they?"

His grin grew wider. "They sure do."


	24. Chapter 24

With that little showdown out of the way, the pair relaxed a little and ran down a further flight of steps to end up two levels below ground. He led her through another doorway into a passage different to the last by virtue of the fact that the floor was bare stone and no single exhibit was visible along its entire length. He checked his wrist screen once more and then indicated that they go to the left. After a hundred paces, he brought them to a halt outside a pair of closed double doors. On the wall to the side was a placard which named the display inside.

**THE DOCTOR**

**LEGENDARY WARRIOR FROM THE**

**PLANET GALLIFREY.**

**LAST OF THE TIME LORDS.**

**EARTH'S GUARDIAN.**

**WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN.**

Jocasta stared at the plate and then at Lumen who was watching her with eyebrows raised. It was another of his smug expressions which she could do without but her attention was so fully focused on what lay behind the doors that she was able to let it pass. With a nervous grip, she laid both hands on the brass door handles, twisted them downwards and then gently pushed forwards. There was no resistance. She moved slowly ahead in small steps, excited and afraid at what she might find.

Agent Lumen followed her in and peered around without any great interest. All of the Time Agency's reports on the Doctor that he had ever read rarely used words like "legendary" or "guardian". Instead, the phrases "causality destabiliser" and temporal meddler" were more popular. He was not surprised that this exhibit was hidden away deep underground, away from the eyes of the paying public. The only real issue for him was that there was any display at all.

Not so for Jocasta. She had spent some time in the Tardis library reading something of the Doctor's past and of his ability to regenerate. She did not pretend to understand it all but it helped her get to know him better. Now here was a room devoted to the Time Lord's relationship with the Earth as well as its grateful, if slightly wary, people. It was only when they proceeded through the small ante-room into the main chamber that she realised that their surroundings were a facsimile of the Tardis.

Not the whole of it, of course. It was certainly the same size on the inside as it was on the outside. Not the same bridge either. This area was far lighter in colour and if anything cleaner than the slightly Gothic looking vehicle she was used to. The recessed circular panels on the walls reminded her of organic cell structure and then she remembered the Doctor's comments once that a Tardis was grown and was partially sentient.

Jocasta instinctively knew that this was an older version of the Tardis, probably attuned to the taste of one of the Doctor's previous incarnations. It also occurred to her that this representation must have been designed by someone who had spent some time on board; possibly a previous companion who had recorded his or her memories of their time travelling days.

She walked across to the central console which surrounded the translucent time rotor and studied the strange array of buttons and levers she found there. Although they were certainly different in appearance and size to what she knew, she felt as if she recognised some of them and understood their use. For one heady moment, she fervently wished that the controls were real and that she could once again experience the thrill of piloting the Tardis through time and space back to the Doctor. Her eyes drifted reflectively to a large pad flashing red on the console and in a surge of wistful nostalgia, pressed it down hard with the palm of her hand.

"I really wouldn't advise that you tamper with anything else, young lady it never pays to meddle with things you do not understand." came a stern voice from behind her.

Jocasta swivelled around on her heels to come face to face with an aged man with longish, white hair brushed back from his forehead and kind eyes trying hard to be severe. During her studies of ancient Earth, she had seen artist's representations of Victorian gentry and the figure standing before her in dark frock coat, dress collar shirt and ribbon tie fitted in very well with that image. She also knew, although she did not quite know how she knew, that this was the Doctor or at least a holographic likeness of his earlier self.

"You must be the Doctor," she said and felt rather foolish doing so.

"He is a Doctor, not _the_ Doctor."

Jocasta followed the sound of the new voice back to find another figure standing in front of Agent Lumen and addressing all three of them. This one was wearing a curious orange-trimmed blazer and was apparently about to take part in an age old ritual known as cricket. She had seen a version of the game played many times on the white beaches of her home world, New Bermuda, but no one had ever dressed in traditional clothes to take part. Once again, she felt certain that another stage of the Doctor's life cycle was standing before them.

"Don't listen to him. There is only one original Doctor. Me. The rest are just pale imitations," the older man insisted.

"Nonsense!" his younger self scoffed. "My tenure was a renaissance in Time Lord history. Ask me anything you want. Anything about the universe. No, wait, let me ask you something. Who are you? Both of you?"

"My name is Jocasta Gold and this is Agent Lumen of the Time Agency," she revealed and ignored Lumen's scowl at her candour.

The younger Doctor tilted his head. "Time Agent, eh? Tried my best to keep out of the way of those fellows. Always complaining about something."

"Never mind that," the first Doctor snapped. "What are they doing here?"

Jocasta had to force herself to remember that these were two computer generated images which despite their fractious and contrived personalities were just programs running on limited information and knowledge. Whoever it was that had designed this collage was working with anecdotal and preconceived notions. She decided that if any progress was to be made here, she must get to the point.


	25. Chapter 25

"Which one of you lost the Deep Time Wand?" she asked abruptly.

There was a silence that almost echoed around the fake Tardis; as if someone had dropped a great bronze bell and they were all waiting nervously for the first deafening peal to ring out when it hit the floor. Lumen glanced over at her and she thought that she spied a grudging look of admiration on his face at her audacity. Maybe he too was having difficulty keeping in mind that the two precocious Doctors were not real and composed solely of light particles.

"What do you want with that?" the first Doctor said with a steely glint in his eye.

Jocasta sighed and then quickly decided that the only way to find out what they needed was to describe the situation as it stood then hope that these feuding holograms would understand the gravity of the situation and provide what help they could. She thought perhaps that she had been spoilt by the sophistication of the Tardis as well as more recently Widemind and wondered how highly developed this system might be.

"I see," said the older Doctor when she had finished.

"A problem indeed," muttered his younger counterpart as he started to pace.

Agent Lumen shook his head in irritation. "Look, we know the Wand is here. Down on the sixth sub-level. Can you at least tell us how to get there? Surely I don't have to tell the two of you that time is pressing."

If there had been a mechanical clock in the room, its rhythmic abrasive ticking would have frayed away the fragile nerves of the visitors as the two Doctors pounded up and down the bridge in deep thought, talking to themselves, then to each other and finally to Jocasta and Lumen who were almost bursting with frustration. The younger Doctor spoke first.

"The Deep Time Wand was lost long ago and I'm not saying by whom," he said with a meaningful glance at his previous self. "If it is, as you say, in this building, there is only one way to reach the sixth basement without setting off all kinds of alarms."

"That is true," the first Doctor continued. "What you must do is shut down this entire display. When everything that is not solid has disappeared, a chest will remain that holds one or two relevant articles. Take these and then go."

"At the end of the passage to the right is a camouflaged door which leads to a flight of stairs. You can use this to descend two levels. At the bottom you will find another door but do not go through it," the other Doctor said as he fiddled with the stick of celery affixed to his lapel.

"In the blank wall is a hidden recess which you will not be able to see. Use one of the items that you find in the chest to reveal the portal. It will also unlock it. More stairs lie beyond. Go now and good luck," the old man said with a grumpy smile and then turned away.

"Press the red pad on the console three times to shut us down. Then you are on your own. Farewell!" said the fifth Doctor who smiled and waved gently.

Agent Lumen wasted no time in striking the flashing pad three times and was gratified to see that at least the first part of the plan had worked. The false Tardis with its holographic Doctors vanished completely leaving just the dark grey walls and ceiling as well as an empty floor space except for one object. Jocasta darted across to the old green sea chest which was she relieved to find was not locked and opened easily. Both of them knelt down to peer inside and were reasonably pleased by what they found.

"This is an old sonic screwdriver," announced Jocasta gleefully, holding a rather bulkier than normal device up into the light.

"And this is a perception filter," said Lumen after thrusting his hand into the chest and emerging with what looked to Jocasta like a small golden key.

"Are you quite sure?" she asked.

"Oh yes," he laughed. "One of the Doctor's favourite toys, I think you'll find. Hang it around your neck and people won't be able to see you. You won't be invisible or anything; it just deflects attention away from you. I wonder how it got here."

"What do you suppose this is?" she asked, mystified at the appearance of the final item she had removed from the box.

Lumen reluctantly stopped gloating over the key to examine the thin, metallic tube with the plastic lid that she was holding. He noticed that that the metal edges had corroded slightly but there was writing in Sol English still visible on the side of the canister.

"What is "Deodorant "?" he asked, baffled too.

This time it was Jocasta who laughed. "Why Agent Lumen, surely you are as meticulous about hygiene as you are about everything else. This is, admittedly, a rather course and harsh way to control body odour but I don't think it's the Doctor's secret weapon. What I want to know is, what is really inside this thing."

"There is a piece of tape stuck to the base," he told her.

Jocasta hooked a finger round her honey blonde hair and pushed it behind her ear. Then she turned the tube upside down and read the short message on the frayed cloth tape. She murmured the words to herself and then repeated them but apart from a vague sense of foreboding at the terse note, she did not feel any the wiser.

"What the hell is "Nitro-9"?" Lumen asker her.

She shook her head but made no attempt to answer. Something told her that the tube was dangerous but the two Doctors had advised that they take everything so that was what they would do. In any case, there was no time left to debate it and no reason to delay their departure. The canister fitted easily into the pocket of her coat so she would worry about Nitro-9 later. Now was the time to leave before someone realised that the Time Lord holograms were no longer functioning.

"Let's get to the staircase down the corridor and keep out of sight," she said as she straightened up and moved towards the door.

Outside, the passage was clear but the sound of raised voices could be heard from somewhere deeper in the building. She was just about to set off at a run in the direction of the stairwell door when Lumen pulled her back and slipped a metal chain over her head. Alongside his Time Agent dog tags, he had placed the gold key over the links.

"Just in case," he smiled and then hurried away along the dry stone corridor. An utterly astonished and now barely perceptible Jocasta hastened in pursuit.


	26. Chapter 26

The entrance to the stairway was concealed but not difficult for Lumen to locate once he knew what to look for. A distant uproar was getting nearer and before Jocasta could quite squeeze through the gap behind the Time Agent, a shout rang out from behind her and several black-robed figures came running from the way they had just come. More by luck than judgement, she managed to activate the long-inactive sonic screwdriver and place a strong, if temporary, lock on the door.

"I don't think this perception filter can be working," she called out as she ran down the bare steps two at a time. "Some of those sub-Curators saw me coming through the door."

Lumen didn't stop his own rapid descent. "They probably saw an open space in the wall where there shouldn't be one and I wouldn't mind betting that shutting down that Doctor exhibit set off some alarms somewhere."

It took only a few seconds for them to reach the fourth sub level. There was a hefty fire door blocking their way but Lumen disregarded it entirely to examine the blank wall perpendicular to it. From two floors above, the sound of axes upon the locked portal echoed like damp grenades down the rough stone stairwell. Jocasta put the oppressive thumps out of her mind and brought out the screwdriver once again. She pressed its operating buttons more hopefully than expertly and then aimed it at the vacant wall. To her dismay, absolutely nothing happened.

"It's not working!" Jocasta shouted in alarm.

Lumen stared desperately at the wall and then at the spluttering sonic screwdriver in her hand. He could hear the cracks and crashes from above and knew that the splintering doorframe holding back their pursuers wouldn't last much longer. He ran his hands over the surface of the stone in search of a wall switch or hidden panel that might release whatever mechanism that was keeping the portal closed but nothing was triggered. Another mighty clatter of collapsing masonry told him that they had about thirty seconds to solve the problem.

"Try it again!" he yelled.

Jocasta did, but once again, no opening appeared in the wall. The sound of footsteps on the steps above set her fingers to trembling as she tried different combinations of the sonic's controls to no effect. She glanced over at the small section of wall next to the closed door and then had a brainwave. The portal's access panel would be beside the doorway; like at an elevator, not right on top of it. Swiftly, she redirected the sonic at that stone space and immediately, the wall in front of them vanished to leave a gap into an unlit chamber.

"Go!" bellowed Lumen and shoved her forwards into the darkness. Grasping hands tugged at his garments as the first group of sub-Curators reached the fourth basement landing and attempted to restrain him. He struck out wildly and connected firmly with the man who had gripped his sleeve, sending him tumbling backwards into those piling up behind. He was about to follow up his advantage with another hammer blow when a feminine hand from out of the gloomy recess, clamped upon his collar and dragged him back. Seconds later, the sonic screwdriver once again hummed and the barrier rematerialised in the gap to separate them from the angry, black-garbed horde.

There was no time to stand around getting their breath back, Jocasta decided, so she packed the now quiescent sonic screwdriver into her pocket and prepared herself for another trip into a black unknown.

"Come on, Slugger. Time to go," she said with a smirk before producing her handy flashlight again to light their way. Agent Lumen ran his fingers through his dark hair and then rubbed his painful knuckles thoughtfully for a moment. In the darkness, he allowed himself a small, private grin of pride and satisfaction.

The need for her torchlight reduced when weak overhead lighting activated as they descended the stairs. After two flights, they arrived in an almost empty stone square that held only a single closed door. There was something strange about it that looked dense and unbalanced in the yellow half-gloom but it was probably a trick of the light, she thought.

Jocasta pushed at the heavy obstruction but could not budge it. Lumen's attempts were equally futile and there did not seem to be any handle with which to pull it open. Jocasta brought out the sonic once more but was unsure where to aim it as the featureless door appeared to hold no lock. Her first try, straight at where she imagined the bolt might be produced no positive result.

"A door with no lock that won't open," said Lumen with a groan.

"I'll try the walls on either side. Maybe it's like the last one and is operated from the side," said Jocasta.

She tried the left, then the right at different heights and angles but nothing changed. Lumen gave it a kick, she put her shoulder to it; still the stout slab remained unmoved. They searched frantically around in the poor light for an independent switch or pedal but if one were present, it eluded their notice. Jocasta even tried shouting at it in case a voice activation unit was installed. The commands reverberated upwards like melancholy wraiths but the door remained resolutely closed.

"Doors!" barked Lumen. "This place is one long series of damned doors. Whether you can see them or not."

"That's it! You've done it!" Jocasta squealed.

"Done what?" said Lumen, in the dark in more ways than one.

Jocasta shifted the beam from her torch away from the door and on to the plain stone floor. The light emanating from the ceiling recess also reduced as she did so, leaving only thin and faint shadows stretching up the walls. The big door itself enjoyed almost no illumination at all and stood like a hulking, monolithic block of obsidian in their path.

"Move your hands over the door. See what you find," she instructed quietly.

"I can hardly see anything," the Time Agent complained.

"Precisely!" she replied cryptically. "Now try and feel for a handle."

Lumen stood parallel to the frame and leant forward to press his palms against the cool, black surface. Working outwards from the middle, he swept his hands in small, polishing circles until he reached each edge and then moved upwards towards the top which he could only just reach. It was when he was on his way down the sides at about waist height that he encountered an obstruction.

"I've got something!" he hissed excitedly. "It feels like a door handle but it's soft like a sponge. I can't get a hold on it."

Jocasta switched the torch off completely. "Try now."

Despite the near pitch black, Lumen managed to maintain his position and re-establish his hold on the protuberance. The substance was now solid in his hand. It felt cold and made the bones in his fingers ache but he gritted his teeth and twisted the handle firmly to the right. There was a click; then a grating sound before the grand portal finally started to grind ponderously inwards.

"It's working!" he cried and heard his words repeated through the stygian darkness of the echo chamber beyond as the door opened up further.


	27. Chapter 27

"So get going then. It's getting bloody cold out here," she said in mock censure.

The pair of them darted through the doorway into such a colossal room that Jocasta was immediately reminded of the Tardis and its contradictory internal dimensions. Once again, there was inadequate illumination despite there being ambient cells embedded in the walls and ceiling. She quickly retrieved her torch and shone the beam along the ground ahead. It was bare stone again and uninteresting. When she directed the light around the walls, it became clear that the exhibits here were of impressive proportions.

"How did you know about the door?" asked Lumen.

"Oh, I've been about, you know," she laughed. "Alright, seriously though, the Doctor once took me to Wild Blue Yonder. It's a planet that has a permanent Darkside. All the people have settled there instead of in the warmth of the sun. Very sensitive to light, apparently. They have non-light responsive technology too; the same as that lock."

Lumen looked sceptical. "You will have to explain that a little more."

"You Time Agents need to get out more," she said lightly. "Non-light responsive items lose cohesion when exposed to naked photons. They function only when light, even artificial light, is removed. In other words, they only work when you can't see them. The races on Wild Blue Yonder live in darkness, far from their star and have developed senses to adapt to their environment."

"Of course," said Lumen grumpily as they moved on. "Why didn't I think of that?"

As she walked, Jocasta wondered why the lighting was so miserable on the lower levels. Surely, down here in these dreary vaults was where you needed light the most. A tall, transparent cabinet took her attention as it reflected and refracted her torch light in bright beams. She noted that the polished steel top was several feet above her head and the equally stout base was embedded in a concrete block. It was by no means clear what this thick-walled case contained even when she shone light in from only feet away.

Just as she was about to give up peering into its depths, a hint of movement down in the murky lower foundations caught her eye. The sturdy glass would not permit any intense illumination so she had to be patient to see what was reacting to her new light. Lumen was examining another exhibit nearby so she decided to take an entire circumnavigation of the object in case another angle produced more visible results. Something was definitely rising up from the bottom of the cabinet and the effect brought up the hairs on the back of her neck.

At first, she thought that the white fog drifting up from the base was the glass steaming up due to some internal heat being generated into a cool room. When the swirls and plumes of grey smoke reached head height, she realised that it was substantial and quite possibly had a purpose. It was not as thin and vaporous as wood smoke but sinuous like a serpent in its twisting ascent. Slowly, the tendrils thickened until Jocasta could recognise a humanoid shape forming in the trembling torchlight.

Muscular definition became heavy as the torso stretched up but it was the face that made Jocasta's stomach churn in horror. Sharp, yellow fangs protruded from a cruel, slavering mouth and beneath a mass of coarse, dark hair, two red eyes burned into her brain like hot nails. She tried to turn away but its gaze held her immobile and unable to voice her distress. It was only when Lumen took a grip on her arm and pulled her back that the light from her torch was deflected and the glowering figure started to dissipate once again into a fragile mist.

"Didn't like the look of that," said the Time Agent who had only caught a glimpse of the menacing apparition.

Jocasta shook her head to clear the image from her eyes. "No wonder the lights are kept so low. What was in the one you looked at?"

"Some sort of weapon, I think. It had a trigger and a lot of strange buttons on it but I've never seen anything like it before. Look at those up there," he said pointing up towards a ceiling that he couldn't see in the darkness.

Jocasta stared up at two hanging orbs that seemed to have no cables or anti-gravs to support them. One appeared to be of metallic construction but was glowing a mild blue, as if alive with electricity. The other was an opaque, ambient pearl that was much like a miniature moon in a starless sky. When Jocasta directed her torch at them, they surprised the pair by flaring through many vibrant colours before turning midnight black and speeding away into the overhead gloom. Once again, she brought the beam back to ground level where the solid stone ground was reassuringly unspectacular.

"What does your wrist display say?" Jocasta asked. "Are we close to the Deep Time Wand yet?"

Lumen made a show of studying his screen before nodding and suggesting that the item in question lay only a short distance ahead. He strode forward with Jocasta just behind until he they turned a corner and came upon an open circular area that was somewhat better lit than the route they had been following. One reason for this seemed to be the array of floodlights directed at a display at the far edge of the circle. Jocasta knew immediately what they were looking at. She knew from her recent delving into the Info Point that the old British Crown Jewels were in the megamuseum somewhere but had not realised that the original throne was stored there too.

The throne, as it turned out, was not original or even British although it had apparently been constructed in Canada when it had been part of the British Commonwealth. Jocasta had expected to see a great sprawling seat, probably solid gold and encrusted with numerous precious stones. She was a bit disappointed to find that this ancient piece of noble furniture was a rather plain, padded velvet seat with an ornately carved headrest and little more to suggest its regal past.

"Take a look at these," said Lumen with his nose pressed to the glass of a standing cabinet.


	28. Chapter 28

Jocasta sidled across to Lumen's side and gazed in at the sparkling display. She wondered what had especially appealed to the Time Agent; the magnificent swords of state, she guessed. Besides the ruby rings, the silver-gilt spoons and, of course, the two beautiful diamond-splattered crowns made for long-dead monarchs but still glittering perfection, her own eyes were drawn to the Sceptre with the Cross which was a seventeenth century Earth artefact holding a fabulous, removable cut gem known as the Great Star of Africa.

She read that the huge diamond had been added to the sceptre two hundred and fifty years after its original crafting and was a thing of great beauty but it was the golden sceptre itself that held her attention. Although it was cleverly fashioned to appear ceremonial and majestic, Jocasta felt in it a powerful presence that made her heart beat faster. If the collection hadn't been protected by strong, treated glass, she would have taken up the rod and held it triumphantly above her head.

"It's here!" Lumen shouted. "It must be one of these sceptres."

Jocasta nodded her head in agreement but did not remove her gaze from the hypnotic jewels.

There were, in fact, two stately sceptres lying on either side of the two crowns but Jocasta instinctively knew that the one with the clear, vibrant stone at its head was the interesting one. The length and diameter of the rod were certainly suggestive and there was no question that it was old although that was a relative term. She wondered if the Deep Time Wand could possibly be made from solid gold and then remembered that it was a Time Lord artefact so most probably was.

"Will the sonic break the glass?" asked Lumen.

"I'm sure it will. I just don't know how to set it properly," she replied in frustration.

"Those sub-Curator guys will be on their way soon. Better just take a chance."

Jocasta knew he was right but understood little about the screwdriver's controls despite her point and shoot experiences from earlier. There was only one thing for it. She would have to take a chance and fire it blind. It crossed her mind that if was going to add her name to the shameful list of people who had attempted to steal these famous jewels, she might like to do it with a little class. With this in mind, she pointed the sonic screwdriver at the large display case and randomly pressed some buttons.

A moment later, she was blown backwards and over on to her backside. Her ears were ringing but by some miracle she remained unblemished by the wave of shattered glass that had exploded in all direction. She stared ahead in horror at the space where the cabinet had been and at the various items of priceless jewellery still hurtling in all directions through the smoke.

"Wow!" exclaimed Lumen as he fanned dust from his face. "Not really a royalist then."

Jocasta coughed and looked embarrassed. "I don't suppose you noticed which way the Sceptre with the Cross went, did you?"

"Still going, I think," he replied breathlessly.

"Well we have to find it. I think it's what we are looking for."

Lumen sighed and then trudged off through the settling shrapnel to search for what he suspected might well be the Deep Time Wand but probably now in a thousand pieces. If the sub-Curators had been unsure where their trespassers had gone then they wouldn't be in any doubt now. When he returned after unsuccessfully rummaging through a pile of splintered wood and glass, he found that his fears had been justified. Six dark-clad officials were standing in the floodlit circle armed with particularly sinister looking weapons.

"Look at this," called Jocasta as she also emerged from a dark corner. She stopped dead when she saw the reception committee that had already restrained Agent Lumen.

"Give it to me!" one of the sub-Curators who appeared to be in charge instructed her sharply.

Jocasta hesitated for a moment then moved forward confidently with her hand outstretched. The man who had shouted at her reached out to take the golden shaft she had been holding and examined it closely. The Sceptre with the Cross was split up one side, thoroughly bent out of shape and missing its glamourous diamond.

"Where's the Cullinan?" the sub-Curator demanded.

The Cullinan 1 was a very famous diamond cut from one of the largest unprocessed stones ever found; on Earth, at least. It had been added to the sceptre at the beginning of the twentieth century and now blown asunder in the twenty fifth. Jocasta stared back at her accuser with innocent eyes. The man seemed unimpressed by her show of ingenuous calm and signalled to one of his men to step forward.

"Search her!" he ordered.

"Don't touch her!" shouted Lumen who was then handcuffed for his trouble.

The subordinate sub-Curator moved towards Jocasta with a gleam in his eye. Like many men of modern Earth, he resented the dominance of the female hierarchy and longed for the opportunity to manhandle what he considered to be a soft, easy target. This man did not get the chance to handle anything as his first, clumsy attempt to conduct his search ended up in an embarrassing disaster. Jocasta had waited for him to approach in his over-confident manner and then employed a number of techniques known only to an accomplished martial artist to not only deposit the man on his back but also deprive him of his consciousness.

The senior officer witnessed this debacle with a mixture of disgust and dejection. He studied the slim girl for a few moments with narrowed eyes and then turned his weapon aside from her partner in crime who was now restrained to threaten the apparently more dangerous girl. Jocasta did not think that this brutal-looking man would hesitate to shoot if provoked further so held up her hands in surrender. As she did so, she opened her palm to show an egg-sized diamond held in place by her thumb.

"Is this what you're looking for?" she enquired demurely.

The officer sneered. "I thought so. You!" he shouted at another of his slouching soldiers. "Take the jewel from her and bring it to me. Then cuff her and take both of them upstairs. Put them in Lightcell 6."

One of the scowling sub-Curators scurried over to grab the gem and hand it over to his superior. Then he returned to roughly pull her arms around behind her back to wrap a plastic strip about her wrists. A moment later, he pushed her over to an open doorway where Lumen was already standing under guard. The unconscious soldier was left behind to recover in his own time. Through the door they moved at a smart pace across a long room which contained a menagerie of stuffed animals that Jocasta felt certain were not all indigenous to Earth.

At the far end, a portal opened to reveal what seemed to be the cabin of a large elevator. Jocasta and Lumen were manoeuvred inside but much to their surprise, were not joined by any of the guards. Lumen was about to voice his concerns when the metallic doors swished shut to cut off his words.

They felt the elevator move but could not tell if they were travelling up, down or sideways. After two minutes of journeying in uncertain directions, everything came to a halt. Then the cabin floor disappeared beneath them and the pair were deposited into a plain but well lit room. The ceiling snapped shut and they were imprisoned.


	29. Chapter 29

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**CHAPTER 4**

The Doctor was not really a great admirer of mobile telephones, at least not the audio variety for the simple reason that he liked to look the person with whom he was speaking directly in the eye. Much was to be learned from the eyes, he had always thought. He was also a big believer in the revelatory evidence of body language of which he was an avid translator and a master of disguise. All of this, however, had become somewhat irrelevant as the only conversation open to him in the absence of Jocasta and the Time Agent was with the verbose AI, possessor of neither eyes nor body.

Evidently, the Tardis had similar views on archaic telephonic communications and had allowed the AI to contact the Doctor directly through its own instantaneous systems. The Doctor wondered whether they would come to regret that courtesy given that the previously solitary and silent Widemind was now on the verge of becoming a chatterbox.

"So tell me Doctor, what is it like to die?" the curious Widemind asked in as breezy a way that a machine could manage.

The Doctor sighed dramatically. "We don't have time for metaphysics now. I do know why you are asking though and it doesn't help."

The AI had obviously been delving through the Tardis history files although he was sure it would have preferred to study the technical schematics to which access had been denied. During its search, it would have come across the events of the Doctor's last visit to Androzani Minor, home of the amazing material known as Spectrox. A substance that had once been responsible for his death and subsequent regeneration.

"I am asking because the emotions which have been bestowed upon me are based upon human concepts. Fear of death is at the centre of nearly all of them. You do not share this terror although I sense that the trauma of your temporary demise and immediate regeneration leaves its scars. Will this affect you when you return to the scene of a previous life?"

"Listen to me, Widemind. Why don't you use your considerable intellect not to mention curiosity to find out how Jocasta is doing? And don't tell me it can't be done. I looked at your transmission capacity and I know you have holograms distributed everywhere."

It soon became clear that the AI had no intention of revealing its resources but its silence also spared the Doctor from answering more uncomfortable questions about his past. He did not want to admit how much the thought of returning to the scene of a previous disaster was bothering him nor did he care to discuss philosophy with a machine that had so recently been suffering from a multiple personality disorder. What he did want to find out was how Widemind intended to deal with the toxic Spectrox assuming he could successfully recover some.

"I shall need a sample, Doctor," the AI said in answer to his silent question. "The Tardis has analysed its structure but has restricted access to its findings. Why is that?"

The Doctor shrugged. "The Tardis guards its secrets jealously. Doesn't even tell me. Well, not all of them. There was one occasion when..."

"You are babbling, Time Lord."

"Yes, you're right. Time to stop talking. Time to act."

The Tardis groaned like a wounded animal as it lurched towards maximum velocity and Androzani Minor. Energy fluctuations brought a merciful if temporary halt to the AI's conversation which allowed him to concentrate on the objective. An objective that would be upon them in less than seven minutes. Six of which would have to be used working out a way to handle the Spectrox without poisoning himself. Five and a half of them passed and the best idea he could come up with was gloves.

Thirty seconds went by before the familiar braking grind of the engines shuddered through the Tardis. He thought he heard the AI tutting its disapproval when they finally came to rest but decided to overlook the criticism in favour of a last consultation with the expanding mind. There would come a time, he thought, when the presence of Widemind would have to be expunged from the Tardis but that was a matter for another day. Now he had to concentrate on gathering the Spectrox without damaging himself and not taking too long about it.

"The Tardis sensors indicate only seven lifeforms but several large buildings are all apparently in use. Do you have any ideas?" the Doctor asked the AI.

"Something strange is going on, Doctor. The walls are shielded against intrusion. Transmissions are at a minimum and no other planets in this system, even Androzani Major, are permitted to infringe their airspace. I wouldn't be surprised if the automated defences were formidable given that there are so few humans on site," replied Widemind.

The Doctor nodded. He knew that much time had passed since his last traumatic visit to Androzani Minor and that things inevitably would have changed. However, the level of technology at work around the small inhabited part of the planet was surprising. More here than meets the eye, he thought and then chastised himself for melodrama. Keep your eyes on the prize. Isn't that what Jocasta was so fond of saying. He wondered for the hundredth time how the girl was faring and if he had been right to let her go off with only the Time Agent to look after her.

"I thought that you were in a hurry," the AI observed with slightly more irony than its original program should have permitted.

"I'm going," the Doctor snapped, grabbing his long coat from a hook.

"Well, before you disappear," said Widemind. "Take this with you."

The Doctor turned around to find a small earpiece resting on the console. When appropriately placed, the tiny device would be almost invisible to the casual observer. He picked it up and held to the light before shaking it gently. Widemind expressed its disapproval by emitting a burst of white noise through the minute speaker.

"It is a transmitter as well as a receiver," said the AI.

"You might need access to information while you search for the Spectrox."


	30. Chapter 31

"No! I mean...no, we did not receive any warning."

The Doctor smiled. "I'm sorry to hear that you require a warning. Perhaps my arrival is just in time. I wonder if you would be kind enough to introduce your staff."

"Yes, of course. Sorry," the flustered man mumbled, his earlier belligerence dissipating. "I am Chief Engineer David Ross. My technicians, Ellen McKenzie and Floyd Race."

The Doctor shook the proffered hands of the now smiling pair who had scampered forward to offer a greeting without invitation. The words "Fless Foundation" had evoked quite an interesting reaction although the Doctor could not tell if they were simply keen to ingratiate themselves to an important official or galvanised by apprehension at the unheralded intrusion. Anyway, he thought calmly, that was three accounted for. He wondered where the other four employees were stationed.

"Right then, Chief. Let's get started," the Doctor said, clapping his hands. "I want you to imagine that I know next to nothing about your work here. Ridiculous, I know, but necessary. Take me through the process from start to finish and don't worry if some of my questions appear vague. My report to the Fless board must not be littered with details; only results."

McKenzie and Race had hurried back to their posts, relieved to be back at work and happy to let Ross do the talking. The Chief was neither happy nor relieved to be saddled with this meddling company man who would undoubtedly be looking for ways to cut costs or shortcuts to premature results. Either way, he would do everything he could to keep this nosy interloper away from the real work that was going on.

"So...Mister...sorry, I didn't catch your name."

"Never mind, Chief. It happens all the time. My friends call me the Doctor and I'm sure we are going to be friends. Now, what does this do?"

"Don't touch that!"

The Doctor stepped back from the console and then continued to move carelessly around the room as the Chief Engineer began to explain the processes taking place but not for a moment did he take his eyes from the machines and their displays. He did not need to listen to Ross' text book descriptions; he had already learned what purpose the hardware served. What he didn't understand was how such sophisticated equipment could have found its way to such a remote, low level research establishment.

"Where did all this hi-tech stuff come from?" he asked the engineer who had stopped talking when he realised that no one was listening.

"What do you mean? It's all yours. Fless paid for everything. They shipped it here. We get upgrades all the time. Surely you know this," replied the Chief.

"Not my department," said the Doctor with a shrug. "So, tell me. Have you had any luck?"

Chief Ross looked confused. "Luck? What are you talking about?"

"The Spectrox, man. That's what it's all about isn't it? All this state of the art equipment? Have you managed to synthesise any Spectrox yet?"

All three technicians stared at the Doctor and then two of them turned their attention to Ross. He returned their gaze with a scowl and then threw his hands up into the air in frustration. After a few steps, he had crossed the room to stand in front of a bulky side door which opened without him touching it. He spun around to face the Doctor and then with an angry gesture, motioned that he should follow him inside.

"I think I liked Block better," the Doctor said to McKenzie as he passed. "He had a lot more charm."

The space beyond the door turned out to be just another laboratory only with significantly less machinery on view. Ross moved to the far side of the room where a glass panel at head height was set in the wall; its surface was dull and opaque. The Doctor stepped up beside the Chief and watched him go through a series of arcane hand movements which obviously triggered some mechanism behind the glass. The dark panel was suddenly illuminated from behind rendering it transparent to the two observers. They both peered in at the contents of what the Doctor assumed to be a freezer.

"Absolute zero," Ross announced, grimly referring to the temperature. "The one and only successfully created sample of synthesised Spectrox is inside that container. It can't be moved. It can't be used unless it is kept at -273.15 degrees Celsius."

The Doctor looked through the window at a long tube of clear glass inside which was a clump of white, fibrous material which greatly resembled the substance that had once poisoned him. The palms of his hands felt clammy as he stared at the artificial Spectrox. After a few moments, he dried his hands on the sides of his trousers and turned to face the Chief Engineer who looked somewhat pale himself.

"Is that all there is?" asked the Doctor.

"As I'm sure you know, the Spectrox in its natural form is a powerful neurotoxin and so has to be handled carefully," said the Chief as they vacated the freezer room.

The Doctor nodded gravely but remained silent.

"Consequently," the Chief continued. "We do not take liberties with it."

"Not to mention its substantial commercial value," the Doctor added.

"That is not the reason we are here," Floyd Race interrupted angrily. "The properties of Spectrox are unique. The potential benefits for every specie in the universe are beyond calculation."

Everyone turned to stare at the technician who had recovered his florid complexion. The Doctor considered the young man and wondered if an idealist like Race was the one to corrupt. On a planet that was once ankle deep in Spectrox, there seemed remarkably little of it left; organic or otherwise. He was going to need help and the dark eyed, ruddy-faced Race might be the most likely accomplice. Then again, the woman had a kind smile, he would try her first.

"So, Miss McKenzie, tell me about..."

"It's not Miss, it's Ms," McKenzie snapped.

So much for the kind smile.

"Forgive me," he said a little sheepishly. "I just wanted to know what happened to the bats."


	31. Chapter 32

Ellen McKenzie was willowy slender with dark skin and even darker hair that was held back by a multi-coloured band. Her lab coat was open at the front and it didn't escape the Doctor's notice that she was busty despite her slim build. Naturally, it was imperative not to dwell on this particular physical aspect as he was already in her bad books so, kill two birds with one stone. Look her in the eye and find out about the bats.

The fauna and flora of Androzani Minor had never been exactly crowded for space. The harsh, arid conditions allowed few species to flourish and those that did predominate found that continued survival was a constant struggle. Due to a slight change in orbit, the planet had undergone some dramatic meteorological changes during the last century that directly affected every living creature. Large predators declined and quickly became extinct as the food chain reduced and limited to eco-pockets.

Storms on the surface were often so violent that entire regions became uninhabitable. The temperature increased to a level that oceans all but disappeared and life giving water became difficult to come by away from the poles. The bats themselves spent most of their lives underground where moisture still clung to the porous rocks but the small rodents and insects that had been their staple diet were no longer abundant enough to support their eco-system. More and more, the bats were forced to the surface in search of food and more and more they perished in the climate they found there.

When the research team had first set up on the planet, they had constructed their facility directly over the cavern where the largest proliferation of bats had been detected. Now, only a few years later, very few of the creatures nested in the dark upper reaches of the cave and as a result, the reserves of Spectrox had been exhausted during experimentation and no new supplies could be found. Just as importantly, the milk that the Queen Bat produced as an antidote to the neurotoxin was also unavailable. Ms. McKenzie related all this with a slight tear in her eye, not, thought the Doctor, because the work was going badly, but mainly for the demise of the bats which she clearly cared about.

"Which leads us back to now, Doctor," said Chief Engineer Ross. "Are you here to report back our failure because if you are, then I should like to point out that we are not going to leave and we are not giving up,"

The Doctor looked around the lab and then at the three faces which had once again lost colour as they awaited his response to the Chief's outburst. He considered himself a superb judge of people and so it seemed inconceivable that these dedicated scientists could be hiding anything. And what was he getting so excited about anyway? Just because the super tech here was out of place? Or the fact that the Fless Corporation was financing the research? Maybe it was because there were four staff members unaccounted for? Even the bats' disappearance could be explained.

"I'm not here to make trouble for you," he told them. "But I do need to look around the rest of the facility. Don't look at me like that. You know what Fless is like. They need to be thorough. You just carry on with your work, I can find my way about."

Chief Ross was about to raise an objection when Ellen McKenzie laid a hand on his arm. She shook her head as he looked at her and when he glanced across at Race for support, the young technician buried his nose in his work without offering an opinion. Ross glared at the Doctor and looked as though he was about to pursue the matter but then his shoulders sagged in defeat. He unclipped the pale blue badge from his lapel and handed it over.

"You will need this," he explained. "Don't worry, I've got a spare. Sensors will scan you but the badge is a telepathic lens. Just think the doors open. You'll get through fine. Security is another matter. You need to be careful there."

The Doctor laughed lightly. "Don't you worry about me, Chief. Me and Block are fast friends."

And with that, he scooped up the blue badge and marched off towards the exit where he stopped to affix the item to his coat and then proceeded to think furiously about opening doors. He was somewhat dismayed when nothing happened.

"Er...Doctor," Ellen McKenzie called out. "The lens only works from outside the door. The handle will do the job on the inside."

This time it was the Doctor's turn to glow red.

There was no sign of the affable Block in the corridor so it was a simple matter of choosing left or right. He decided not to head back the way he had come as there had been few areas worthy of investigation along the featureless passageway. In the opposite direction, however, several doors responded to his telepathic command to open but all proved to be empty of equipment and personnel.

As he walked alone through the quiet corridors, the Doctor found that the silence was by no means disturbing and was, in fact, rather soothing. The tranquillity was abruptly shattered when the hiss of noise in his ear was immediately followed by the scratchy voice of Widemind who had been suspiciously restrained during his time in the laboratory.

"Where are you now? These ridiculous flying cameras won't do what I tell them."

"I am taking a look around. It seems that Spectrox is in short supply and their attempts to make their own aren't going too well. Can you get a visual on me? I'm out in the main corridor," said the Doctor under his breath.

"Yes, I've got you. There is a door up ahead which doesn't respond to commands. How will you get through it?" said the grumpy AI.

"I'll ask it nicely," the Doctor whispered and then allowed himself a self-satisfied little smile.

The AI did not comment when the Doctor progressed without challenge and had nothing to say when the new passage appeared as unremarkable as the previous one. No nooks to peer into or crannies to poke about in. Just a straight, metallic tunnel without deviation or obstruction. It didn't seem right. Why would all this space be wasted? After a minute or so of walking past blank silver walls, he halted to examine his surroundings more closely.

"Why have you stopped?" asked Widemind. "Time is not on our side, you know."

The Doctor did not answer. Instead, he stood motionless facing the wall with his eyes closed. In his mind, he attempted to shut out all distractions including the irritable Widemind and concentrate his efforts upon forward channelling. It was not something he made a habit of but telepathic projection was a skill with which he had some experience and with the help of the pale blue lens, it was possible to transmit on a wideband. Lines appeared on his forehead as he strained to focus. When he finally opened his eyes again, the smooth surface in front of him remained unchanged.

"It's behind you...," the AI crooned in a strange pantomime voice.


	32. Chapter 33

The Doctor twisted around to find that a previously invisible panel in the far wall had slid aside to reveal the suspected hidden rooms beyond. An intense white light shone out into the corridor with such an all consuming radiance that he was momentarily blinded. From the complaints buzzing in his ear, he assumed that the AI was experiencing temporary visual difficulties too.

Despite being assaulted by the bludgeoning illumination, he was happily congratulating himself on his ingenuity and mental prowess when a shadowed form appeared in the doorway with what looked to be a weapon in his hand. The Doctor raised one hand above his head and left the other shading his eyes.

"Don't just stand there," the figure ordered. "Get inside."

At first glance, the shape in the doorway seemed tall and broad enough to be Block but as the glare reduced to manageable level; it became clear that it was an ordinary man in an insulated suit. The man held out his gloved hand and beckoned to the Doctor to step forward. The light in the room began to pulse like a spinning star which stirred memories of the Illium sun and its descent towards nova. The Time Lord was entranced by the hypnotic throb of energised photons. He edged forward into their warmth.

"Doctor! Stop!" Widemind bellowed. "He is wearing a radiation suit. You are not. The energy levels in that chamber are too high, even for you."

The words brought a pause to his momentum. His head felt fuzzy, as if the tendrils of soft light were stroking his mind, urging him towards recklessness. Then it occurred to him that if the radiation was so powerful and dense in there, he should be able to feel it even out in the passageway. The door was wide open; he should be feeling the heat.

"It's a force field!" the AI hissed urgently. "The energy is contained. If you go inside, it will wrap itself around you like a bubble until you put on a suit."

"That's alright then," replied the Doctor and strode into the inferno.

The figure in the radiation suit pointed him towards a rack where several more grey protective outfits were hanging. The Doctor took the hint and helped himself to the nearest one. He stepped into the lightweight one-piece, slipped on some gloves and a transparent helmet. The photosensitive material across his face immediately filtered out all unwanted not to mention unhealthy emissions and suddenly the laboratory was a calm place; like the eye of a hurricane. Two more grey-suited shapes solidified in the new light and went to join their colleague. That's six, the Doctor thought, only one left.

The communicator in his helmet burst into life. "Chief Engineer Ross told us that we had a visitor. I'm impressed that you found your way in here. My name is Cho. This is Jim Pope and Alex Nate. I understand that you are known as the Doctor."

Even with his clear view of his surroundings, it was not clear which one of them had spoken. Three suited individuals all seemingly male stood together but couldn't be told apart. Only when the one nearest the door raised his hand and waved did the Doctor identify him as Cho. The object that he was holding that had looked like a weapon in the glare turned out to be tool not dissimilar to his own sonic screwdriver. Another clever gadget, he thought to himself. Where do they get them? The suit receiver buzzed again.

"The test run will be completed in thirty seconds. Then we can take off the protective clothing," one of them informed him.

The Doctor nodded and then realised his helmet was remaining stationary so vocalised his understanding of the situation. He watched the technicians as they waved their hands over screens and was impressed by the sharply detailed holographic displays. When all three started to pull off their suits and helmets, he did the same and was relieved to find that the lab was now free of harmful radiation. Pope and Nate went about their duties while Cho with his dark, Asiatic features approached the Doctor with his hand extended in greeting.

"Sorry you caught us mid test. We do one a day and the output is quite high. Shields and suits are of an excellent standard though, nothing to worry about," said Cho.

That was a matter of opinion, the Doctor thought. Widemind had whispered to him that the "quite high output" was actually a bit more than that. The AI had reeled of a number of alarming figures concerning the different types of radiation being evacuated into the atmosphere. He did some swift calculations in his head and came up with some disturbing conclusions. From his coat pocket, he produced the psychic paper again and presented it to Cho who was obviously curious as to his identity.

"Fless Corporation?" said the technician as if he had never heard of them.

The Doctor started one of his walking tours of the lab as he attempted to explain his presence.

"Oh yes, we at Fless are very concerned that the huge amount of money being spent to provide all this equipment is not being returned with significant results."

Cho looked disgusted at the suggestion. He immediately started manipulating another 3-D graphic to illustrate the difficulty of the challenges they had been set. The Doctor carefully watched the display whilst listening to the outraged technician explaining the project's successes and failures. He nodded occasionally as the breadth of the enterprise became clear.

"This is not just to do with the Spectrox, is it?" he muttered to himself.

Cho heard him and laughed. "Of course not! Spectrox is a fascinating substance, certainly, but the milk produced by the Queen Bat is quite simply extraordinary."

The Doctor's thoughts drifted back to the last time he had visited Androzani Minor and the problems that he had encountered with the Spectrox. He remembered the effervescent Peri who had travelled with him then and how she had come so close to death after being poisoned by the fibrous material; found in large quantities then when the bats inhabited every corner of the rocky caverns. A last minute introduction of the antidote saved her.

It was the milk secreted by the elusive Queen Bat that he had journeyed down into the subterranean depths to find. Somehow, it cancelled out the lethal effects of the Spectrox toxin; a fact that he became only too well aware of as there had not been enough to save him as well. It had been a painful and harrowing time which he was not about to dwell upon now.

"If the bats are in decline, how do you find Queens to extract their milk?" he asked.

"That is why we have not been able to keep up with the demands your corporation makes of us. Raw materials are not easy to come by," Cho complained.

"Demands?" the Doctor said as he examined the controls of the central consul.


	33. Chapter 34

Cho sneered again. "As you no doubt have learned, synthesised Spectrox can only be produced in small amounts. The bat milk is equally difficult to reproduce. Your chairman, Mr Fless, can't wait. He takes everything we produce as well as most of the organic material we recover from underground. It's an impossible situation!"

"Not Mister Fless, I don't think," suggested the Doctor who knew no surviving members of the Fless family remained.

"Oh yes," trilled Cho with certainty. "He has visited us here on site. Amos Fless, he called himself. And I'll tell you something else, Doctor."

Pope and Nate had ceased in their work and were staring across at Cho who had let his irritation overcome his usual discretion. He appeared to realise this too late as his audience was now hanging on his every word. The Doctor in particular, was waiting impatiently for the technician's revelation. Cho cleared his throat and then pressed on.

"Well, it is a little known fact that people who used to use Spectrox derivatives in a bid to promote longevity often developed a slight blue tinge to their flesh. The more they used it, the bluer they got."

Both Pope and Tate inhaled sharply. The Doctor tutted and waved his hands testily to encourage Cho to keep talking.

"You see, Doctor. Amos Fless was about as blue as the Great Sapphire of the North Star," said Cho, his voice deepening with every syllable.

The Doctor shrugged. He supposed that it should have come as a shock. A human, a desperate human, hanging on to life wasn't particularly surprising in any time or place and the Doctor occasionally felt a little hypocritical in his criticism of their desire, given his Time Lord advantages. Still, Amos Fless was thought to have died more than a hundred years ago so the idea that a man could keep himself alive for so long with Spectrox was unsettling.

The life-prolonging properties of the substance were known to many but the refining process that turned it from a deadly neurotoxin into a longevity stimulator was not. He had always assumed that Androzani Minor had protected its secret well, especially as its twin planet, Androzani Major, had suffered a devastating plague which had all but wiped out the population and ended its influence in the sector. The Fless Corporation had taken over, it seemed, from the extinct Androzanis to harvest the Spectrox reserves for the benefit of one person; Amos Fless. But things were not working out as the ancient plutocrat had hoped.

The Doctor was contemplating the possible psychological condition of a man who had spent more than a century under the influence of Spectrox when an ear-splitting siren went off right next to him. Not the front door, he surmised, so an alarm then, and an especially loud one at that. He wondered briefly as he hurried away from the speaker whether the volume of an alarm was in any way linked to the magnitude of the threat. If so, then this impending danger would be of catastrophic proportions.

"Tornado warning!" shouted Nate.

The Doctor nodded but stayed where he was.

"Super-tornado warning!" Pope added. "Must be a big one!"

"I knew it!" the Doctor muttered to himself. "It's never just a tornado when it's me."

Pope and Nate were hastily shutting down equipment while Cho had moved quickly across to a communicator embedded in the wall. His voice was lost in the tones of the shrieking siren but it was clear from his expression that Pope had been right in his assertion. A big storm was indeed upon them. Cho confirmed as much when he appeared at the Doctor's side with a dark blue badge in his hand.

"We have to move to the shelter. There is a massive cyclone bearing down on us so we must take cover. This badge will allow you into the secure area. Now, we have to hurry."

The three technicians with the Doctor just behind scurried out through the opening door and then made their way along the corridor in long strides. After only a few moments, Cho held up in his hand for them to stop before turning to the metal wall and closing his eyes. Immediately, a panel slid aside to reveal an elevator cabin big enough to hold the four of them. Pope and Nate stepped inside without hesitation while Cho stood aside to let their important visitor enter next.

"After you," the Doctor offered without moving.

Cho looked like he was about to debate etiquette with him but then thought better of it and ducked into the car. All three technicians looked expectantly at the Doctor as he stood rocking on his heels, still out in the passageway. The Time Lord just smiled and then issued a powerful telepathic command to close the elevator doors.

"I'll get the next one," he called through the narrowing gap.

Alone in the corridor, he took stock of his position. Six employees accounted for, one more to track down. He moved backwards away from the elevator but instead of heading back towards the lab, he set off in the opposite direction and into unknown territory. Now that he had mastered the mental requirements of the blue badge, he could travel wherever he liked and sense any concealed chambers or passages. Somewhere up ahead, he would find another laboratory and discover what was really going on.

"They were not exaggerating, you know," said Widemind in his ear. "The storm is a Category 17. If it comes down on top of you, Doctor, it will sweep that facility up into orbit. You must return to the Tardis."

"Not yet! I haven't got the Spectrox. Tell me if the cyclone gets too close," the Doctor replied, already on the run.

The AI gave a rasping laugh. "You won't need me to tell you, Doctor. If it gets within a mile of you, the roof will lift off."

The earpiece went quiet but the rumble of the super-tornado's advance vibrated through the floor like seismic tremors. The damnable alarm was still wailing but another noise more distant and menacing groaned its way along the corridor. The Doctor recognised it straight away. It was the sound of tearing metal. If the roof was already on its way off world, he thought, how long until the rest of the building went with it?

It took nearly half a mile of gently curving passageway before he realised that he had covered the first arc of a larger circle that ringed the complex. He would end up back where he started if he didn't find what he was looking for soon. Just as he was about to stop and go back, his blue badge pulsed along with a resonating thought in his head. He turned towards the source of the intrusion at the same time as a portal in the wall shimmered and vanished. The Doctor was disappointed only to find a staircase beyond.

There was no time to look elsewhere. The steps led down for three flights and the echoes of wrenching steel getting ever closer made both of his hearts beat faster. Despite all of his years spent running from and towards every conceivable spot of trouble, he still felt the adrenalin rush hitting him at the most inconvenient moments; for the most part, when he needed to keep a clear head. At the bottom of the stairs, he passed through yet another seamless doorway and found that clarity of thought was the least of his problems.


	34. Chapter 35

The room that he entered was the largest he had visited so far. The sounds of cyclonic destruction were hardly audible here but other curious reverberations reached him from around the great glass box that took up so much of the room's available space. The Doctor sniffed the air but no pungent aromas assailed him. He had become sure of late that his olfactory system had become attuned to the stench of peril over the period of close to a thousand years. What he saw, however, did not fill him with confidence.

The glass box was actually neither glass nor a box. Its sides were a form of dense energy that collected into solid sheets and would turn translucent or transparent when activated. He saw his blue badge flicker again and realised that such an activation would be telepathic. As he sent the relevant signal, the walls instantly blinked clear and the box's function became apparent. Not a container at all but a cage. A cage containing the biggest Queen Bat that he had ever seen.

"Magnificent, isn't she?" said a man who had silently stepped into the room from a door on the far side. In his white lab coat, he resembled any of the other six occupants of the planet, but only superficially.

The Doctor smiled in satisfaction. Not one of the six Spectrox technicians but the seventh unaccounted for employee. The one he knew had to be there. The one who had been responsible for all the advanced technology. The one who had retreated to this remote planet to harness the extraordinary properties of Spectrox and found so much more. Now the one at the eye of the hurricane with the Doctor who was rapidly running out of time.

"I'm surprised to see you here," the Doctor lied.

"Really? I can't say the same of you, Doctor. I felt you coming light years away. It seems to me that whenever events of significance take place in the universe, you are present," the figure said.

The Doctor shook his head. "Nothing of significance is happening here except that you are interfering with this planet's ecology in your useless search for immortality."

"Useless?" the man seemed offended. "Such a typical Time Lord attitude. So arrogant in your assumption that anybody else who aspires to greatness must do so in their pitifully inadequate lifetimes."

Before the Doctor could respond, an enormous crash resounded down the stairs followed by a cloud of dust which puffed around the half closed door like a fleeing ghost. Instinctively, he moved further into the room away from the entrance and closer to the cage. As he got nearer, he noticed that from a duct in the rear behind the energy walls, several more bats were emerging. Suddenly, in that fluttering of leathery wings and brown fur, the whole place with its shiny machinery made sense.

"You're cloning!" he exclaimed over the noise from above. "No, not just cloning. You're mutant cloning. Accelerating growth, encouraging abnormalities, letting the cell structure run riot until whatever you are...what's the word... cultivating, mutates into something obscene. It's nothing more than abuse. And it's banned in every quadrant of the galaxy."

"Oh Doctor, please. I'm not interested in developing overweight bats. Any more than I care about interplanetary law. There are larger issues at stake here. And don't go all morally superior on me; we're not on Gallifrey now."

More thunderous explosions echoed down from the surface but the Doctor remained resolutely still. He was staring at the cage into which maybe fifty Queen Bats had now crawled and were screaming their outrage at the disturbance as well as their imprisonment. He could not actually hear their shrieks through the energy barrier but understood their distress.

"It's the milk, isn't it?" he said, turning toward the man who was grinning.

"Don't be alarmed. It would take the milk of a thousand Queens to produce a life like yours. It must be exposed to heavy bombardments of tachyon streams which, as you know, take some work to produce and then detoxified through Spectrox filters."

The Doctor thought the process through and nodded at its potential. He wondered how long this had been going on. More shocks reverberated through the floor and the curtains of energy that held the bats in their prison flickered from clear to opaque then back again. The storm had to be moving in faster than expected, he thought, there were probably only minutes left to find shelter.

A quick glance back through the doorway at the rubble that had accumulated in the stairwell told him one thing; he was not going back the way he had come.

"So Doctor, did I introduce myself?" the man was asking.

"No, I don't think I did. My name is Gordon Stone..."

"I don't have time to waste listening to this," the Doctor interrupted, his green eyes flashing angrily. "I know who you are, Drax. What I don't know is, why we are standing here talking when the storm is ripping the place off the planet."

"So the mighty Doctor remembers his old friend from the Deca days, does he? Even though my features have changed so," answered Drax, sounding rather pleased.

The Doctor laughed quietly. He did remember those youthful days at the Prydon Academy on Gallifrey when he and nine other young Time Lords had joined together to form a high spirited group they named the Deca. Their acts of rebellion against the Gallifreyan authorities and Academy rules were in retrospect, petulant and ineffectual but crimes committed later by some of that number, including himself, were not so easy to forgive.

As far as renegade Time Lords went, however, Drax was a relatively minor offender and all of the Doctor's recollections of his services to the cause suggested that he was by no means a troublemaker so might deserve a little leeway or at least time to explain himself. If he was truthful, coming across another Time Lord in this far outpost, indeed one that he knew well, had come as a bit of a shock so he would, he decided, tread carefully.


	35. Chapter 36

"What I remember, Drax," the Doctor eventually replied. "Is that you have a nasty habit of tinkering with things that you don't understand. Something for which you invariably end up incarcerated. Don't try to deny it, Drax, you know I'm right. Now, if you are mutant cloning Spectrox Bats to drain them of milk, then I can only guess that you have succumbed to Regeneration Mutation, hence why neither I nor the Tardis sensed you."

Drax stared at the Doctor but did not respond. Not with words anyway. What he did do reminded the Doctor of Widemind's internal struggle not so long ago when it banished the competing egos within its program to a dark and lonely recess. Drax was blinking uncontrollably while his hands pressed tightly to his head as if the blood at his temples was about to explode out through his eyes. His skin blanched and then reddened as he staggered towards the Doctor before reeling back against the energy curtains containing the bats. The cage flickered at the contact but remained intact.

The Doctor was having trouble keeping his balance too. The stone floor was rippling like troubled water with dust churning up all around as the foundations weakened in the grip of the storm. Widemind was issuing repeated warnings of imminent disaster in his ear but the grinding roar of disintegrating stone made the details hard to hear. What did seem to be abundantly clear was that if he didn't get out of the building soon, it would be coming down on his head.

"Drax! Get a grip on yourself. We have to get out of here now," he shouted at the still writhing Time Lord.

"No! Not yet! You go if you want to, I have one more thing to do," Drax shouted back.

The Doctor hurried across the room to check the door through which Drax had entered. He opened it to find a long corridor stretching away, seemingly uncluttered by tornado-induced debris but on a downward incline towards a dead end. From behind him, he heard several crashes of breaking glass followed by a howl of triumph.

"What are you doing? We have to move," the Doctor called out.

Drax's face was still changing colour and shape in violent spasms as he looked up at his fellow Gallifreyan. He had sunk to his knees on the floor where the sharp remains of a glass cabinet lay all around him. From the wreckage, he lifted up a phial full of a pale liquid that the Doctor knew must be the refined bat's milk.

Drax pulled himself slowly to his feet. He cradled the precious substance to his chest as if at any minute someone was about to snatch it from him. His features were now scarlet and it seemed the strength in his shaking limbs was gradually failing but he held out a discouraging hand when the Doctor moved towards him to offer support. The look in his eyes was pitiful and murderous at the same time.

"It works, you know!" he cried out mournfully. "I would have died years ago without it. The Regeneration Mutation had me in its grip. Every time the change happened, more and more deterioration took place. My sight deserts me on occasion but I feel the damage inside."

"We don't have time for this," the Doctor insisted.

"Yes... yes we do. You see, Amos Fless thinks that the Spectrox is the answer to a longer life but it is only half the story. The milk is an antidote to the neurotoxin but no one thought to research it further. I convinced Fless to let me conduct my own experiments but he lusts so deeply for the Spectrox effect that he has largely ignored my results."

The Doctor watched as Drax convulsed but then re-established his precarious balance by leaning against the energised cage. Its transparent walls pulsed in white light bursts as new shockwaves shook the room. Widemind reported urgently that the storm was only minutes away from consuming the entire facility. Drax had now recovered from his attack and was removing the cap from the phial. In one trembling movement, he swallowed its entire contents and then threw the empty tube against the floor where it smashed.

"Doctor," he gasped as he wiped his mouth. "I did not have time to irradiate the sample. You must get me to your Tardis and bathe me in a Tachyon stream. The dose will be enough to hold the metamorphosis at bay and extend my life indefinitely."

There was nothing for it. They had to move quickly despite Drax's dubious assertions and uncertain mobility. The Doctor grabbed hold of his old friend and urged him through the door into the crumbling passage. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the bat's cage flash through a spectrum of energised vibrations and then fail altogether. He thought wryly to himself that the newly liberated Queen Bats might be the only ones quick enough to escape before the building spiralled away into orbit.

In the corridor, lights were winking out as the material around them started to collapse. The two Time Lords scuttled along through the falling masonry until they reached the door at the far end. The Doctor pushed and then pulled at the opening lever but to no avail. Even if his blue badge was in touch with the mechanism, he could not order his mind sufficiently to give the command with all the noise around him. Over the sound of the ceiling caving in and the raging surface storm, he could hear yet another unnerving screeching sound that was even more alarming.

Through the gap in the doorway that led back into Drax's laboratory, a great cloud of oversized, cloned bats were swarming; their mutated wings and bodies finding flight an awkward skill to master. Drax was slumped upon the floor and unable to offer any assistance so the Doctor resumed his mental and physical attempts to get the door open. It remained stubbornly immune to his greatest efforts.

The bats had squeezed their way out into the corridor and were proving fast learners when it came to aviation. The Doctor realised that there was nowhere else for the creatures to go but straight ahead and would undoubtedly be as disappointed as he was to find their escape impeded by the immovable door. This thought was immediately proved correct when the first wave of black-winged mammals engulfed both he and Drax in a whirlwind of sharp claws and teeth that threatened to tear the two of them to pieces. The Doctor joined his fellow Time Lord on the floor in an effort to cover his face from the frenzied attack.

The pain of many scratches and bites to his exposed hands kept his mind active as he desperately tried to think of some way get away from the maelstrom. When he felt the door sliding open behind him, he thought that he must have somehow summoned the mental strength to channel an instruction through the blue badge. A large hand clamped upon his shoulder and he felt himself being dragged backwards through the opening and a familiar voice addressing him as he lay flat out just inside the doorway.


	36. Chapter 37

"May I be of assistance?" Block asked politely.

"You most certainly can," the Doctor shouted in relief.

The swarm of clumsy bats demonstrated their own gratitude by streaming through the doorway and off into the new space. The Doctor shook the sweat from his eyes and started to clean blood from his hands where he found white, milky patches of liquid congealing with it. The bats had left their calling card upon him too, it appeared.

By the time Block had hauled the barely conscious Drax into the next corridor, the Doctor was on his feet and staring up the passageway into which the bats had vanished. He was about to rouse his ailing colleague into motion when the resourceful mechanoid made a suggestion.

"A Category 17 Super-Cyclone is in close proximity to this complex. You must follow me to safety."

Without waiting for a response, the massive machine swept up Drax into its mighty, silver arms and set off a rapid pace along the corridor. With the Doctor scampering along behind in an effort to keep pace, it rounded several turns until they all arrived at an open doorway, much similar to the one through which the Doctor had originally entered the facility. Not precisely the same one, he concluded, when he took a swift look into the cavern outside and saw no sign whatever of the Tardis.

"You must take Professor Stone away to the far side of this cavern," said Block. "You will both be safe there. The rest of the staff have evacuated to an underground shelter. You can join them later when the storm lifts."

For a moment, the Doctor wondered who Block was referring to until he remembered the name Drax had been working under. He took the weight of the semi-conscious man on to his shoulder and tucked an arm around his waist. Gingerly, he took a few steps out on to the uneven cave floor with his burden just about able to support himself but little more. He turned his head back towards Block who had not moved.

"Aren't you coming?" the Doctor asked above the noise of the wind which was whistling in through unseen vents.

Block slowly shook his great head. "Unfortunately sir, my power supply is provided by the facility. My designers saw no need to install any charging points beyond. I cannot leave. Now take care, sir, and move as far away as you can."

With a rather forlorn wave, the huge machine stepped back and turned around as the door slid closed behind him. The Doctor gazed sadly at the metal panel for a few moments and then moved away into the dimness of the cavern with Drax groggily dragging his feet at his side. Behind a large outcropping of rock, the Doctor laid his friend down and then peered back around the side to watch the death throes of the Spectrox lab.

Somewhere up above on the surface, the cyclone had manoeuvred itself directly over the complex and was happily ripping away pieces and hurling them far into the sky. The Doctor quickly ducked back behind the rock to avoid any shrapnel that might be spinning his way. As he sat down in the poor light to rest, he felt an acute and familiar irritation on the backs of his hands. Hurriedly, he rummaged in his pocket for his sonic and activated the illumination facility. Both hands, he discovered, were discoloured and swollen with a red rash that spread to his arms and perhaps beyond. He knew straight away what it was but could not understand why it was there. He looked around at where he was sitting but found only a damp, luminous moss on the rock which he knew to be harmless.

"Spectrox poisoning," he groaned aloud at the sleeping Drax. He was not listening. But the AI was.

The shrill sound of a large contingent of mutated bats introducing themselves to what remained of the original population located in the furthest reaches of the cave echoed around the pair of them as they sheltered in the shadow of the rock. The Doctor looked up at the creatures resentfully as it occurred to him that it was their milk that had made contact with his flesh and ultimately contaminated him. He recalled with some distaste, the unpleasant sensations that had plagued him once before when infected and the subsequent painful symptoms that led to his death.

"Well!" exclaimed Drax as he followed his old colleague's gaze upwards. "It seems that my legacy on Androzani Minor will be more about reviving the fortunes of a decimated bat colony than rejuvenating the fading powers of Amos Fless."

The Doctor examined the grinning Gallifreyan and sighed. "You've been missing for a long time, Drax. Everyone thought you were dead."

"Ha! They may yet be right. If I can't get a tachyon bath pretty soon, the milk will slowly destroy me. It's more poisonous than the Spectrox if untreated," said Drax.

Of course it is. It always is when it's me, thought the Doctor sourly. If it's not one thing it's another. That notion was quickly reinforced when the recently absent Widemind chirped in his ear that the cyclone had moved on but could easily return at any moment. A quick glance around the darkened cavern didn't tell him much except that the entrance to the Spectrox Lab was now rubble and would not provide a way out.

The answer seemed to lie in another direction. One in which the majority of the bats were flying or at least appeared to be flying; the light generated by the bioluminescent moss that grew in great blue clumps on almost every surface was by no means illuminating. Still, he considered, the sound of their shrieking calls shouldn't be too difficult to follow and no doubt Widemind could offer a few pointers as they travelled.

"Come on! Get up! Places to go, tachyons to find," he ordered, as he attempted to locate the best path.

"You always did like telling people what to do," Drax complained as he stood up and trudged off after the Doctor.


	37. Chapter 38

The surface of the cave was uneven and strewn with debris. Both were careful to avoid the copious patches of bat droppings that littered the area; prodigious quantities, the Doctor observed, for an endangered species. As they neared the rocky wall through which the animals were entering and leaving by some as yet invisible aperture, a grim rumbling sound came from somewhere in the great chamber behind them. Through the blue-tinged gloom, both Time Lords watched a succession of craggy stalactites crash to the floor in long booming echoes.

"Widemind! What's happening?" hissed the Doctor.

"It's the storm!" the AI spluttered. "It churned up massive amounts of material as it swept through and sent it high into the atmosphere. Now it's raining down again like a meteor storm. One particularly substantial chunk just impacted right above your position. I think that the chamber you are in has become unstable. It's going to collapse, Doctor."

"Who are you talking to?" Drax wanted to know.

"Nevermind! Get up between those rocks. The bats are going that way. Come on! Get moving! There is going to be a cave-in. We only have a few minutes," the Doctor shouted.

Both men climbed desperately up the slippery escarpment until they reached a spiky outcrop that was drenched in guano. A breeze was coming from somewhere but the air was hardly fresh or dry. That meant it wasn't seeping in from the surface but from another cavern beyond. It took less than a minute to find the crack in the rock face but that was where they stopped. Bats of every shape and size, all maddened by the chaos of the crumbling roof pouring down upon them, were screaming their panic as they struggled to squeeze through the narrow gap.

The Doctor edged as close as he could to the opening and then adjusted his sonic to emit a sudden pulse of extremely bright light. The effect was instantaneous. Essentially nocturnal by instinct and habit, the bats reacted with fear and shock at the blinding flash and sped away in all directions to flee the invading brilliance. For a few seconds, the crevice was filled with writhing brown-furred bodies and then it was clear.

"Get in!" yelled the Doctor to the blundering Drax who also had not been expecting the intense flare.

Despite the shadows across his vision, Drax found his way to the crack and started to force himself through the tight space. He was not a big man but the sharp stone tore at his clothes and skin just as the bats had done earlier. From behind, the Doctor was urging him to hurry but the poison in his veins amplified his natural claustrophobia causing him to stop after each step for breath.

One step. Breathe. Two steps. Breathe again. After five laborious, shuffling movements, he finally fell out of the widening hole into the damp cavern beyond. He gasped in relief and anxiety as his senses reeled from the effort. The first thing he managed to make out when his eyesight eventually adjusted was a tall, fragile-looking blue box with a light flashing at its apex. It had been many years since he had seen a Tardis and his eyes moistened at the sight.

On the other side of the aperture, the Doctor was hastily setting his sonic for another light pulse as the frightened bats had decided that disturbing emissions of radiation were less dangerous than plummeting rocks which were now cascading everywhere. Just as he was about to ward of the flapping horde once again, a rockfall immediately above his head sent an avalanche of boulders and loose scree piling down on top of him.

One fist-sized stone caught him a glancing blow causing him to stagger backwards. Another heavier rock struck his forehead putting him on his back. The world around him swam in and out of focus as he fought against the black wave that threatened to engulf him. His screwdriver was still in his right hand but he could not even lift it. With his left, he drew up a strange, gossamer-like substance from a small depression in the ground. Despite his fading consciousness, he recognised the material. Spectrox, he thought dreamily and then passed out.


	38. Chapter 39

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**CHAPTER 5**

It wasn't the first prison she had ever been in but it was certainly the strangest. The underwater jails on New Bermuda were scrupulously clean, climate controlled and smelled of the lemon coral that filled the oceans of the blue planet. The one that she was currently occupying had all of those things which was strange because lemon coral was indigenous only to her home world. Jocasta concluded that she had somehow been psyche scanned and preference evaluated which again was odd because the smug Time Agent was still there sharing the cell with her.

She couldn't complain about the facilities though. The restraints around her wrists had dissolved immediately upon arriving in the cell and Lumen, it seemed, was also similarly released. The lighting was adequate and there was a soft bunk of her own which she would defend furiously from invasion.

Copious amounts of food and drink was available at the touch of a button and several more mysterious dispensers set in the wall were apparently designed to provide a range of stimulants upon request. Not the normal amenities prescribed by a regulated penal system, she thought. If the entire cell hadn't been comprised of solid Force, a tight-beam molecular energy field that resisted all attempts to penetrate, she would not have felt incarcerated at all.

As it stood though, she and Agent Lumen had been imprisoned for over four hours with only the soft-voiced computer running its in-cell features tutorial to break the monotony. At one end of the spacious compartment, Jocasta had found the en suite facilities mercifully private while Lumen sat on the edge of his bed muttering irritably as he jabbed in futile desperation at his Vortex Manipulator. Escape might be difficult to come by even if relief was on hand.

"Stop fiddling with that thing and help me look for a door," said Jocasta who had never spent four whole hours idle except when she was asleep which wasn't very often these days.

"There is no door," snapped the Time Agent who was equally unused to inactivity. "It's a Force Cube. It has no joins unless activated from outside."

Jocasta ignored the remark and continued her examination of the energy walls. She knew there was little chance of finding an opening without her sonic screwdriver but the discipline required to conduct the search helped organise her thoughts as well as dampen her fury. It wasn't just the idea that they had been so easily caught and locked up, she fumed. It was the frustration of actually having had the Deep Time Wand in her hands and then losing it minutes later. That and the fact that time was ticking away in unused minutes.

"Come on, Time Agent," she chided. "Think of something. Surely, at some point in your life, you have done some time."

Lumen did not smile. "I most certainly have not," he huffed. "If anything, I thought you would be the one who had a prison record. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't carry around a harmonica around with you. You know, just in case."

Jocasta didn't rise to the bait. She did actually own a mouth organ as well as an old Earth guitar both of which she played with some accomplishment. However, the ability to play the handmade Viper Flute that she had picked up at the Fespa Flea Market still eluded her, primarily as she lacked the forked tongue necessary to operate it. Calming thoughts of music and laughter instantly brought back fond memories of her reckless youth and the submerged jails two miles off shore from her coastal home on New Bermuda.

"I once spent a week in a cell that had the most spectacular view of the Forty Leagues Serpent. I didn't want to leave," she admitted.

"Forty Leagues Serpent?" enquired Lumen.

"It's a winding coral expanse not far out to sea from my home," she told him. "In spring, when the ice melts in the mountains and flows down to the ocean, the freshwater cools the warmer salt water for a few miles out. This thermal shift causes the coral to turn lemon yellow from its normal turquoise. The effect does not last long so if you are going to break the law on New Bermuda, wait until the vernal equinox."

Agent Lumen studied the young girl as she spoke and was amazed at how easily her mood could change. A minute ago, she had been pacing up and down the cell like a cat on a hot tin roof, testing the walls, floor and ceiling for non-existent cracks and biting his head off if he criticised her industry. Now she had returned to the sanctuary of her bunk to reminisce in soft tones about the features of her home.

"What were you arrested for?" he asked with genuine curiosity.

Jocasta's dark eyes twinkled as she answered. "I injured a man who asked too many questions."

Lumen caught the gentle smirk so curbed his retort. It was clear to him that the girl wanted to talk and it was as good a way to pass the time as any. His wristband was somehow being nullified by the force field so neither information nor transportation was available until they could find a means of escape. In the meantime, he would weather the girl's innuendos and let her impart her life story. Surely, she was only in her early twenties so it couldn't go on for too long.

Twenty three years ago in a town named Lagoon on the very blue planet of New Bermuda, Jocasta Veronica Emma Gold was born to the sound of the surf. Henry and Elizabeth, the doting parents, had decided upon an ocean birth giving the infant Jocasta her first taste of salt and her second opportunity to swim after the fluid warmth of the womb. The baby girl splashed her pleasure in the soothing ebb and flow; even at such an early stage in her development, she knew that she couldn't bear to be parted from the ocean again. Until she had met the Doctor, that was.

Her early years were spent swimming, diving and exploring the underwater caves and grottos that fractured the coastline all around Lagoon. That was not to say that she didn't receive a formal education. Far from it. Outside of the school where she excelled in both mental and physical endeavours, she plundered the local library for its old paper book collection which she considered to be the true reading experience. The musty aroma that accompanied the grand tales of ancient Earth or atmospheric accounts of human pioneers in the depths of space was an essential part of the story. She would immerse herself in such adventures almost as enthusiastically as she might plunge into her beloved ocean.

When it came to more formal methods of learning, she happily employed the holographic educators which all children of her age were taught to operate. It came as no surprise to her teachers, organic or otherwise, when Jocasta Gold reached the required level to attend university several years before such an attendance was actually appropriate. She was not put off by the delay. By the time she was twelve years old, she had mastered several disciplines of an ancient martial art, become a proficient fencer and competed in a number of local triathlons. Time and tide waited for no man was a mantra she took seriously.

"No wonder the Doctor has you on board the Tardis. You're as dangerous as he is," the Time Agent observed and then sat back in silence as she continued without pause.


	39. Chapter 40

Henry and Elizabeth had another daughter a year after Jocasta was born whom they named Sophia. Like her older sister, she grew up to be athletic and strong but without Jocasta's passionate ties to the ocean perhaps due to her hospital birth. The pregnancy had been a difficult one for Elizabeth and her recovery was long and taxing. Henry did his best to bring up his two precocious girls and tend to his ailing wife but despite every sophisticated technological aide being available to them, life was not easy for the Oceanographer and his family.

Gradually, Elizabeth grew stronger and eventually returned to her husband's side in the work they so enjoyed. Jocasta would often join them on trips out on to the deep blue stretches of wild water and in doing so, learned a good deal about survival in harsh conditions. Sophia chose more land based pursuits but only just. She found the challenge of climbing the razor sharp cliffs and stacks all around Lagoon a more stimulating exercise although her father's insistence that she always be accompanied by a professional during her ascents was a cause of many arguments. Neither girl quite seemed to grasp that dangerous and arduous activities were not quite the done thing for young ladies entering their teenage years.

Jocasta soon found that having an equally ambitious sister was a trial and a triumph at the same time. Sophia was competitive in unexpected areas so when an attentive boy entered Jocasta's orbit, the younger sister would inevitably try to draw him into her own sphere of influence, employing methods that some might call underhand. Quite often, she was successful as Jocasta had little time for romance and its attendant complications. At fourteen and thirteen years old respectively, neither sister revelled in perceived victories for very long. When Jocasta had reached the ripe old age of sixteen though, things had changed a little.

The boy's name was Hal West and he had a number of things going for him. Apart from being tall and powerfully built, he had an intensity about him that his peers identified as suppressed vitality and his elders mistook for intellectual focus. By no means did he neglect his education but if the chance to indulge in one of his twin passions arose then little or nothing would hold him back. And it was these two enthusiasms that brought him to the attention of the Gold girls.

Jocasta was first to come into contact with him during the time of the Borzan Swell. Much like its namesake on old Earth, New Bermuda was a world of uncertain ocean currents that often conspired to bring about extremely hazardous conditions where all was calm moments earlier. The Borzan Swell, named after a hardy mariner who survived for two weeks in mountainous seas afloat in just a dinghy, was a maritime event that occurred every two years with varying magnitude.

When it was a particular menace, the skies would darken from azure to mauve in a matter of minutes and previously benign, gossamer clouds were thrust into bruising collisions by a viscous westerly wind. Sea spouts and whirlpools were not uncommon sights while patches of water many miles from land were sometimes mistaken for islands by sailors caught in the tempest; such was the ferocity of the maelstrom. For those adventurous few who gathered on the beaches of Boiling Bay to await the swell, it was a time of tense anticipation.

Jocasta Gold was there but so was her father and consequently no surfboard was allowed despite the girl's protests. It was not a time for foolhardiness, he told her and she soon came to understand why. Titanic walls of water funnelled though the headlands at the mouth of the bay and swept in to crash on to the lower sand shelves like monstrous hammer blows. Young men who had almost been born on a surfboard paddled out to meet these behemoths and on shaking legs come hurtling back on the face of a fifty foot breaker. From Jocasta's position on high ground, they looked like white specks on a grey green canvas.

The highlight of the day would come at around mid-afternoon when the tide was full and the conditions were optimum. Jocasta was told that certain signs were visible to an expert eye and when these were noted, a countdown would begin to identify the premium wave. "Number fifty seven!" they cried out excitedly. She counted along with them until the time was right and then fixed her eyes on the horizon. When it came with its thunderous announcement, she noticed through her Skylens glasses, that only one fearless surfer had managed to scale its smooth dark surface.

The chaos that ensued after the wave broke was a hell of white water explosions and green, grasping depths. Water washed up the shore in a relentless charge, only to halt and begin receding twenty feet below where the spectators were standing in previously unthreatened safety. All who witnessed the encroaching wash were convinced they were about to be overwhelmed and their huge relief at the wave's retreat was voiced in great cheers and celebration.

Jocasta had not been scared. She had not taken her gaze from the frothy tumult in the hope of spotting the courageous wave rider. Slowly, from the still agitated waters, a few bedraggled surfers slowly dragged themselves up from the inundated beach to collapse in a heap on dry land with their precious boards still intact. Only the Fifty Seven Man as he was to be named by his brethren had not yet appeared to join his compatriots. Jocasta scanned the crescent bay through her glasses from one end to the other but no board or rider could be seen in or out of the water.

A few men had organised themselves into a search party that would descend to the lower levels in the hope of discovering the boy's whereabouts. Or at least his body. Jocasta had learned that the missing surfer was named Hal West and was only eighteen years of age. Some more positive members of the party said he was the most able swimmer and would likely have struck out for the shore when the wave had shrugged him off. There were others of a gloomier disposition who spoke of riptides and drag unopposable by mere mortals.

In the end, it was Hal West himself who came out of nowhere, stepping into the middle of the indecisive search party to enquire who was unaccounted for that settled the argument. To incredulous stares, he explained that he had ridden the mighty wave all the way across the beach and had allowed its breaking force to swish him up to the higher ground where he had casually stepped off his board to walk the rest of the way. Many hands slapped his back after hearing this incredible story. The sixteen year old Jocasta Gold stood quite still in amazed adoration at the god-like figure returned from the sea but could find no words to express her awe.

That reticence did not last long. She was soon pressing the amused Hal to teach her to surf the big waves and in return she would show him her favourite diving spots up and down the coast as well as some of the distant reef sites her parents investigated. At first, he had indulged the enthusiastic and indefatigable girl in all of her interests including the mild flirtations she to which she occasionally treated him. By the time of her seventeenth birthday, they had formed a strong bond that thrived not only on their athletic outdoor pursuits but one or two inside too. It was only when Hal returned to his other love of climbing that the trouble started.

"You actually had a boyfriend?" spluttered Lumen, who hadn't moved from his bunk while she had been holding court. Once again, Jocasta did not even stop to recognise that he had spoken.


	40. Chapter 41

The coastline either side of Lagoon was a long series of shattered headlands that over many years had eroded into lines of jagged, brown rock stacks that emerged like splinters from the shining water. As a young boy, Hal West had free climbed these protuberances every summer with ever-increasing confidence and skill so that when at last he faced the challenge of the Dragonscale Tower, a hideously difficult and dangerous ascent, he was at the peak of his strength and agility. So it came as a bit of a shock when he discovered that one of his co-climbers was his girlfriend's younger sister.

Sophia was thrilled to be involved in such a prestigious climb and although her age meant that she was obliged to wear a paraglide harness to take part, she had no doubt of her ability to not only complete the ascent, but be the first to the top as well. Eight climbers in all took on the Tower. Four pairs, each attempting a different face; supporting one another as they searched for the fractions of purchase necessary to prevent them plummeting into the water below. Sophia was pleased when her sister's paramour selected her as his climbing partner.

As expected, a big crowd had assembled on the shore to watch the proceedings which was a popular annual event for the inhabitants of that stretch of coastline and beyond. Sophia was somewhat disgruntled when Hal chose to try a path that was situated on the far side of the Tower facing out to sea. Not due in any way to its difficulty or exposure but because her flamboyant climbing style would not be admired by as many people as those ascending the more visible faces. She consoled herself with the thought that they would see her soon enough when she emerged first on to the summit.

And that was exactly what happened. Sophia and Hal worked in perfect harmony as they manoeuvred themselves from toehold to fingergrip, always in control of themselves and their environment. Hal let the exuberant girl clamber up first to the very top and accept the barely audible cheers from the spectators way down below as well as offering her most vibrant smile to the flying cameras that had followed their triumph. When Hal joined her at the apex he was swept up into an unexpectedly ardent embrace which he received with red-faced humility. After a moment or two, he also responded with evident enthusiasm.

While all this was going on, Jocasta had enrolled at the Hamilton University where she not only studied a range of subjects including twenty-first century Earth culture, Astrophysics and Weft Theory but also extended her knowledge of ancient fighting styles. When she saw the Netloop repeat of her sister's antics on top of the Dragonscale Tower, the urge to return home and employ some of her new skills was very nearly overwhelming.

In the months that followed, Sophia's relationship with Hal West strengthened with every new peak they conquered. Jocasta ignored the pair's burgeoning romance and buried her head in work; rejecting all entreaties to forgive and forget. Henry and Elizabeth despaired at their daughters' enmity but seemed powerless to intervene. Friends and family watched with sadness as the two headstrong girls stubbornly refused to compromise and as a result, drifted apart.

By the time she was twenty-one, Jocasta had gained first class degrees in every subject she had studied and was on the verge of accepting a research position off-planet when she received a call from Hal West. His voice was anxious and cracked as he asked her if she had any knowledge of her sister's current whereabouts or had received any recent communications. Jocasta explained that she had been away for a while but no calls or messages had been registered. Sophia, she told him unnecessarily, was notoriously unreliable when it came to keeping in touch.

A week passed but no word came. The authorities had been contacted and a vigorous investigation ensued. Searches were made all over New Bermuda with special attention paid to the mountain resorts where she might have gone alone to attempt an infamous climb. No sign of her was found anywhere. Hal took out a Skimmer to scour every ravine, gorge, valley and basin from the clifftops of Boiling Bay to the arid hills of the Middling Desert. He returned more and more desperate from each unsuccessful trip he took.

After a year of searching without even the faintest scrap of information surfacing to explain her sister's disappearance, Jocasta moved out of her parents' house where she had been staying during the family crisis. Henry and Elizabeth had reluctantly returned to work and the house made Jocasta feel miserable when she was left alone in it. The additional news that Hal West had been found dead in the ruins of his Skimmer at the bottom of a steep canyon just piled on the agony and so she felt more helpless with every day that passed.

"What happened to her?" asked Lumen who was now on his feet and pacing. He had been affected by the girl's story and eager for some good news. It was not forthcoming.

"I never saw her again," Jocasta choked."Sometimes I have bad dreams where I think she is calling out to me but when I wake up, nothing is clear."

"What did the Doctor say? Surely he had some ideas," said Lumen, referring to the rarely defeated Time Lord.

Jocasta shrugged. "He knows about Sophia but I never asked him to help."

The Time Agent looked at her and saw the pain in her eyes. He wanted to say something to ease her discomfort or more usefully, do something that might free them from their incarceration. He pressed a few unresponsive buttons on his wrist band and then sat back down on his bed with a frustrated sigh. He wondered what the Doctor would do in a situation like this. No doubt, something dangerously clever.

"How did you meet him? The Doctor, I mean," he asked.

"He caught me," replied Jocasta evenly.

The Time Agent stared. "Caught you? Were you running away? Oh wait, I see. You were falling from somewhere and he rescued you?"

"No, nothing like that. He caught me with his fishing line."

Jocasta was smiling, not at the perplexed Lumen but at the memory of a special day. It had been only a short time after she had left her parent's home with only a single bag of belongings in her hand. Many thoughts had filled her head that day as she walked alone over the beaches of Lagoon and so when an unusual sight out on the smooth ocean caught her eye, she could have been forgiven for thinking it was a trick of the light.

The sun was high in the sky when she gazed out upon the bay which was gleaming like a sheet of precious sapphires in the light. Every shade of blue filled her vision but the presence of a dark rectangle, clean-lined against the sea and sky, perched between the headlands was definitely out of place.

Jocasta stared at the shape which suddenly revealed its three dimensions by rotating through one hundred and eighty degrees. She placed her hand over her eyes to study the blue box more closely and was even more surprised to see a door open and the figure of a man in a long, dark coat appear in the gap. This apparition was too solid to pass off as an ocean mirage and so Jocasta decided to simply follow her instincts by swimming out towards the strange phenomenon.


	41. Chapter 42

Still draped in her lightweight summer dress and sandals, Jocasta slipped into the cool surf and set out with a confident stroke towards the open water. As she drew closer to the blue box, she could see that it was actually hovering silently a few feet above the sea without apparently agitating its surface. The mysterious figure who had earlier appeared in the doorway was now sitting on the floor of the box with his legs dangling out over the doorway's edge just above the tranquil brine. Maybe it was the water in her eyes but it looked as if the man was fishing.

This impression was further enhanced a few moments later when Jocasta felt a tug at the shoulder of her sodden dress and before she could remove the offending hook, was propelled forward on the end of a swiftly retreating line. For twenty feet she fought against the uninvited acceleration. Then, as she slowed and began floating up to the suspended box, she managed to untangle herself and launch an old smuggler's curse at the man with the rod. He in turn, roared with laughter and helped her aboard the Tardis.

"And that was that?" asked Lumen, reacting to the pause.

"Pretty much," she laughed. "Once I discovered that he wasn't some eccentric, galactic angler and was just taking on coolant for the Tardis, I had to know more about him."

"So what exactly have you found out?"

Jocasta grimaced. "That if we don't find a way out of this jail soon, trillions of lives will be lost."

Agent Lumen was about to agree with this dismal assessment when a white light appeared in the centre of the cell's front wall. In a fraction of a second it had expanded to form a circular hole in the Force, big enough to allow entrance to a single person. The Time Agent moved forward in the hope of confronting whoever came through but the gap remained empty and the air quiet. Slowly, he edged himself closer to the aperture until he was in a position to see through into the room beyond. It seemed empty too.

"Come on! It's open!" he hissed.

"Wait!" Jocasta cried but it was too late.

Lumen, who had already taken the first step towards freedom, was promptly repelled six more by the force of electricity still active across the gap in the energy wall. He landed with a sickening thump at the rear of the cell and lay still. Jocasta ran over to check his inert form for signs of life and was relieved to find a steady pulse. His breathing was a little shallow but regular enough to assure her that he was merely unconscious. When she stood up again and turned back towards the rounded opening, a woman in contrasting attire was standing just outside observing her.

Jocasta knew very little about religious orders but couldn't help feeling that the combination of a dark, skin-tight catsuit, high-heeled boots finished off with a wimple and veil was not the most traditional of pious dress. When she noticed the weapon slung low over the woman's hip, she wondered if the Artemis sisterhood had sacrificed their elevated spiritual authority for a more martial approach. Certainly, the woman's voice contained little warmth when she spoke.

"My name is Vivien. You are to come with me. Do not concern yourself with the man; he will recover in his own time."

Jocasta did not reply. She remained still and waited to see if the woman would volunteer more; perhaps even enter the cell. Vivien, of course, had no intention of placing herself at such a disadvantage and simply beckoned impatiently for Jocasta to follow her out. When her prisoner did not move, Vivian sighed deeply and then waved her hand through the gap in the energy wall without hesitation. No convulsive shock racked her body.

"Men only," she said with a laugh and stepped back again.

Jocasta looked down at the stricken Time Agent and quickly decided that she could do little for him just standing there. For hours, she had been desperate to find a means of escape and now an opportunity had presented itself. One with a number of dangers attached to it admittedly, she considered, but a chance nonetheless. In half a dozen strides she had exited the cell and caught up with the lissom sister to pepper her with questions.

"Why are we locked up?"

"You broke in."

"Where are we going?"

"To see our Mother."

"What about my friend?

"He is male and will be dealt with accordingly."

Jocasta did not like the sound of that. As they walked, she took a mental note of each turn in case she had to get back quickly but her main task was to stay alert for any opportunity to turn the tables on her captors. Vivien's gun had not yet left its holster but there seemed little promise in attempting to steal it. The small pads on its grip were distinctive and indicated a PFR. Even if she was swift enough to disarm the sister, a Personal Firearm Recognition weapon would not work for her. So, she bided her time and remained vigilant.

They stepped into an elevator which quickly travelled up three floors before depositing them into a large chamber decorated with white rosettes on every cerise wall. The floor tile mosaic continued the pattern up to a marble alter behind which stood a towering stained glass window. The figure depicted in the glass was that of a haloed woman in a long blue robe holding a shepherd's crook. Jocasta thought the image familiar but couldn't put her finger on it.

"I'm told it's a good likeness," said a voice from behind her.

Jocasta spun around to find three more sisters in tight clothing and devotional headwear. A fourth stood in front of them wearing a similar garment to the woman in the glass and was gripping a silver staff. All that was missing was the glowing halo; an oversight that was swiftly remedied when a holographic circlet blinked on just above her head. Jocasta would have laughed out loud if her three companions hadn't aimed their handguns directly at her.

"Does she look like you or do you look like her?" Jocasta asked cynically.

The woman's halo blinked twice and then stabilised "That is the Holy Mother Marie-Claire. My grandmother. She had the window installed."

"Shy, was she?" Jocasta continued her defiance.

"You would be well advised to show a little respect. Trespass and theft are just two of the crimes levelled against you. You may address me as Mother Alexandra. I shall be your judge, jury and, if necessary, executioner. Be seated."

Jocasta thought as she sat in a chair provided that the Doctor would have found a worthy riposte to those imposing words but all she could think of was the time that was being wasted in the search for the Deep Time Wand. The threat to her own safety did not seem to matter much in the scheme of things. How would this egotistic creature respond to news of such an impending disaster? Could she possibly expect any help? Mother Alexandra's next words came as quite a surprise but did at least fill her with some hope.


	42. Chapter 43

"Do not look so worried, my child. We can overlook some indiscretions if you just tell us why you are here. Surely you didn't intend stealing the old crown jewels?"

Jocasta was about to protest her innocence by proclaiming that she was not a thief and that the Deep Time Wand was hers to claim on behalf of its owner. It took her only a few moments to reconsider such a forthright policy and come up with a more risky strategy. There really was no time to play things safe.

"I came here to join your order," she ventured. "I want to become a sister of Artemis."

There was a shuffling of feet around the room as Vivien and her three sisters stirred in surprise at the revelation. Mother Alexandra studied the young girl intently but discovered no obvious signs of deception. If anything, she seemed eager to proceed and despite the fact that there were questions to be answered, the head of the Artemis sisterhood was always on the lookout for an opportunity.

"I'm glad to hear it although I would suggest that there are more direct methods of application. Still, if you are serious, I'm sure we could find a place for you."

"But Holy Mother," Vivien interrupted. "She came here with a man!"

Jocasta twisted to glare at the outraged sister. "Don't worry about that. I can handle him."

Mother Alexandra nodded. "We will address that complication later. Vivien, instruct one of your novices to take our young friend here for refreshment. Oh, and find her some appropriate clothing. If she is to join us, she must wear a veil."

Before Vivien had a chance to give the order, one of the attendant sisters stepped forward and took the applicant by the arm. Apart from the fierce look directed at the novice and then at her superiors, Jocasta chose not to indulge in any fruitless displays of resistance as she was led away. Her prospects of escape, she realised, were considerably enhanced with only one guard at her side; a guard whose weak grip on her person was more reassuring than restraining.

Mother Alexandra watched them go and then beckoned to Vivien to follow her over to a small desk where the pair of them sat down on either side. With a wave of a hand, a holographic display bloomed over the desktop between the two women showing a recording of Jocasta's recent sojourn in the Force Cube. The Holy Mother adjusted the device to highlight several points in the conversation between the two prisoners.

"Do you hear that, Vivien?" she hissed. "They are talking about the Doctor."

The sister's eyes went wide. "The Doctor? Do you think it's the same one? The Time Lord?"

"Of course it is! She talked about the Tardis. We must find out more."

Vivien gazed at the hologram again but did not look convinced. The legend of the Doctor and his relationship with the people of Earth was known to many but he had not been sighted for many years and had never had any contact with the Artemis sisterhood. Or had he? The expression on the Holy Mother's face suggested a little more than personal fascination.

"I know that the Doctor is a powerful figure," she probed. "But he is still only a man."

Mother Alexandra snorted. "He is a Time Lord, Vivien. Practically immortal and if the stories are true, can regenerate into a new person each time he dies. What does that tell you?"

"That he is an unwelcome adversary?" ventured Vivien.

"Perhaps, but more to the point, who is to say that he couldn't regenerate as a woman next time he expires?"

"You mean, if he were here..."

"Then we could help him achieve his potential."

"But we don't know where to find him," said Vivien.

"Not an insurmountable problem, sister. He will, no doubt, find us if we hold on to his little friend," the Holy Mother pronounced calmly.

Time Agent Vincent Lumen was still lying on the floor of the energy cell and wondering if he was permanently damaged. His nervous system was still vibrating from the electrical discharge that had ripped through his body but it was the conflict of his senses that was causing him the most distress. In the cell, right in front of him, was an obviously female form in a tight-fitting outfit with her face covered in lace. Plain as day, he could see her. One of the sisters, he guessed. What he could hear, however, was the deep voice of mature man telling him to pull himself together and get on his feet. He shook his head once, then twice but the inconsistency remained.

"Agent Lumen, you have to get up. Right now, before it's too late."

"Who are you?" Lumen gasped as he rubbed his eyes with his knuckles.

"Lumen, it's me. I took on a new disguise."

The Time Agent stared up at the figure and blinked. The Hardlight? The hologram that had ridden with them when they broke into the museum? He was now a she? Lumen struggled with so many questions. He rose unsteadily from the floor and then sat down with a thump on his bed. He looked again at the woman and shook his head once more. With another effort of will, he finally stood up and walked over to the hologram who was fidgeting nervously.

"They caught you too?" he managed.

"Of course not. Their surveillance can't pick me up. I came here to get you out. I know where they put the Deep Time Wand," the Hardlight explained.

"Where is Jocasta?" asked Lumen, his wits slowly returning and bringing with them anxiety.

The hologram flickered. "The sisters took her. If we go now, maybe we can find her."

"How do we get out of here? It's a Force cube."

The Hardlight moved across to the intact energy wall and laid a finger lightly upon it. Immediately, a white dot appeared which grew outwards in an expanding circle that became a doorway. The hologram stepped forward through the gap and then turned around to indicate that Lumen should follow. The Time Agent looked dubiously at the opening.

"Don't worry," said the Hardlight. "The Mantrap feature has been disabled."


	43. Chapter 44

Lumen edged forward in pigeon steps until he was inches from the wall. Then, with a leap of faith, he sprang through the breach and landed on the other side without suffering any further damage. He couldn't be sure, but he thought that behind its flimsy veil, the hologram was laughing silently.

Ignoring the Hardlight's renewed entreaties to leave, Lumen took a swift glance around the room which held the Force cube. In one corner, he noticed another Force box only a fraction of the size of his most recent prison. After he had persuaded the hologram to attend to its lock, he put his hand inside and retrieved the sonic screwdriver, the key-shaped perception filter and the curious aerosol device that defied his comprehension. No sign of the Deep Time Wand.

"Come on! We need to get going. You've wasted half the day as it is lounging around in that Force cube," said the hologram.

Lumen was about to protest against the suggestion that a Time Agent lounged anywhere when the sound of voices echoed down the corridor. He swiftly placed the perception filter around his neck just as two novices appeared in the passageway and started to walk towards them. The sisters kept coming until finally turning off into a side corridor without a break in their conversation or more importantly, raising the alarm at the sight of an escaped prisoner.

"My photon matrix can be adjusted to work like your filter," the hologram explained as they hurried on. "It is a bit of an energy drain though so I shall have to use it sparingly."

Lumen thought that the hologram's current skin-tight ensemble with veil would fool any casual glance but who knew what subtle differences might be evident to the more suspicious observer. The best plan clearly, he thought, was to move sharply, avoid detection and attempt to recover the Deep Time Wand. And, of course, find that infuriating girl before she got them all into trouble.

They avoided the elevators by taking two sets of stairs up to a level that contained rooms apparently used for storing articles of value. As they moved past several locked compartments, Lumen wondered how the hologram was tracking down the Wand and what sort of security they might encounter in retrieving it. That question was answered when they easily slipped inside the last room and were confronted by an old fashioned safe made of thick steel and almost as tall as the Tardis. Lumen glanced over at the hologram and waited.

"Don't look at me," said the Hardlight. "This is a centuries old mechanical contraption. It has no electronics, no fibre optics and certainly no holographic elements. I cannot open it."

Lumen scratched his head. "I would try the sonic if I knew how to operate it properly. Jocasta nearly brought the roof down when she tried earlier. Do you think there might be a key somewhere?"

"I am certain there is a key somewhere but it is unlikely to be in the same room as the safe. Not only that, the room is completely empty and I can detect no concealed compartments."

"Are you sure the Wand is in there?"

"Certainly I'm sure. Despite the thickness of the material, I can identify its radiation signature easily. It is like a homing beacon. One more thing. This room has motion sensors. I, of course, cannot activate it but your organic mass has set it off. An alarm is ringing elsewhere as we speak. You have about ninety seconds."

"I have ninety seconds!" the Time Agent exclaimed. "Me? I don't know how to open it!"

The Hardlight pulsed. "You will have to use the bomb then."

"Bomb? What bomb?" Lumen almost shouted.

"There is an exceptionally powerful explosive inside the aerosol container you are carrying. An invention of one of the Doctor's past companions, I believe. It will be enough to blow the door. Security is already on its way so the noise won't matter."

Agent Lumen gingerly took the can from his pocket and studied it with interest. "Nitro-9", he read on its label. The bomb had come from the chest inside the Doctors' exhibit. Who knew how long it had been there? Would it still work?

"Sixty seconds," the hologram intoned without agitation.

Lumen scurried over to the safe and tugged at its handle. Locked. No surprise there. With anxious fingers, he wedged the canister between the handle and the door and removed its plastic top. A small atomiser spray button was revealed which he depressed and then stood back. Had he armed it? How long before it exploded?

The Hardlight tugged his arm. "Forty-five seconds. Now follow me and place your hands over your ears. The pressure wave might damage you,"

They opened the door and rushed out into the corridor. No security had yet arrived but as they moved back along the passage, three novices and two sub-curators from the megamuseum came around the corner with weapons raised. Lumen flattened himself to the wall as the group swept past without noticing him and approached the room he had just left. Their arrival coincided with a great booming explosion which left all six of them on the floor; concussed and covered in masonry and metal.

Lumen was also thrown violently to the ground and showered in dust and debris. Even with his ears protected, the sound had almost deafened him. What sort of explosive was that? Would the safe still be in the room or was it on its way to join the moon in orbit? He looked around but could not see the hologram anywhere. With aching limbs, he got to his feet and staggered back to the doorless room, carefully stepping around the heap of unconscious guards and shattered wall.

Inside, he was amazed to see the old safe still intact although it had moved several feet from its previous position. Its heavy metal door was hanging off its hinges and smoke was drifting up from the depths of its vault. Lumen positioned himself so that he would not come in contact with the hot metal casing and peered into the dark tomblike interior. On the top shelf lay a long, black rod, unblemished, undamaged and cool to the touch. Otherwise, it was completely empty.

The Time Agent placed the Wand in an inside pocket and then with creaking joints, straightened to his full height. He moved to the open doorway and out into the corridor where much of the dust still swirled in grey clouds, making it difficult to see more than a few yards. One of the supine guards groaned so Lumen set off back the way he had come in hope of finding a route that would take him to the museum tunnels once again. If he could get there, he thought, then his Vortex Manipulator might work again and he could set about finding his missing companion.

After a few minutes of useless wandering, he stopped in a featureless corridor to try to get his bearings. Obviously, he had to go down several levels to find a way out but no stairwells could be found that might allow him an unobserved descent. He moved on again until he finally arrived in front of a door that would open up to reveal an elevator car if the appropriate button was pressed. He decided that the risk of detection in transit was better than stumbling across an armed patrol as he roamed around in circles. Lumen pressed the illuminated disc and the door opened.


	44. Chapter 45

Inside the car stood a black-cloaked man with cowl drawn up halfway across his head. His pale hands were crossed lightly in front of him and nothing in his face suggested anything other than calm detachment. Lumen's first thought was to step backwards in search of escape but whether his brains were still scrambled after the explosion or maybe he was just tired of running, he allowed basic instincts to take over and guide his actions. He took a single step forward and threw an enormous punch which connected squarely with the sub curator's jaw.

There followed a great wail of agony which reverberated around the elevator cabin like a banshee howl. The issuer of this plaintive cry sunk to his knees grasping his red, already swollen fist in his uninjured hand and thrusting it into the folds of his tunic. The recipient of the mighty blow stood unmoved as the door slid closed and the elevator began its descent.

"What do you think you are doing, Lumen? It's me. I changed my appearance because we are going back to the museum chambers," complained the hologram. "Don't look so amazed. I am a Hardlight."

The Time Agent glared up at his photonic ally. There was no veil this time to hide the hologram's evident amusement.

Jocasta had made herself comfortable in an easy chair with a glass of red wine and some fresh fruit provided by the silent sister who continued to gaze intently at her through the mesh of her veil. As she sat nibbling at some grapes, Jocasta smiled back at the novice, willing the girl to stop standing so rigidly by the door and relax a little. The last thing she wanted now was to be shot by a nervous girl who seemed afraid of her own shadow.

"Why don't you sit down and have a drink?" asked Jocasta sweetly.

The novice shuffled her feet but did not reply. She took a call on her communicator but gave no indication that the message involved Jocasta and it wasn't until another sister entered the room with a novice's garb over her arm that the girl became animated.

"You must put this on," she said in an urgent voice.

Both novices stood back and waited for Jocasta to comply. They fidgeted like anxious children as they watched the seated woman who made no move to even look at the clothes provided. What she did do was clamber quickly to her feet and dart across the room to try the door. It did not yield to her weight or her earnest vocal commands for it to open. She attacked the metal with her fists, clawed about its edges to locate a mechanism but the barrier remained unresponsive and unmoving.

Jocasta turned swiftly around with her hands raised to ward off the expected restraints yet both novices were still standing exactly where she had left them, staring at her in perplexed silence. She scanned the walls but there did not seem to be any other exits. If there had been a window, she might have thrown herself through it without a clue as to what lay beyond, such was her frustration. Instead, she took a deep breath, stifled her reckless instincts and glared ahead.

"Open this door!" she demanded.

"But you're not dressed," one of the novices protested.

Jocasta shrugged. "I want to look around first. See how you people live. Show me where you sleep and eat. I might wish to make other arrangements"

"Other arrangements? What do you mean?" the same novice said, her voice rising in irritation.

Jocasta didn't really know what she meant. It was just a ruse to try and get the two girls on her side by getting personal. She knew if she could just get out of the room, opportunities would present themselves. She was about to attempt an even more desperate appeal when something surprising happened.

Surprising? She thought later. No. Shocking, maybe. Heart-stopping, almost. Crazy, definitely. When the sister who had now started to wag her finger and stamp her feet in front of her suddenly crumpled to the floor along with the shards of the demolished glass fruit bowl that had impacted with her head, Jocasta could not believe her eyes.

"Don't just stand there," prompted the other sister who up until then had said very little. "We have to get going."

Jocasta stared at the girl and wished that she could see the face behind the lace. There was something about her, her movements, her mannerisms and now her voice that Jocasta found compelling. It was as if they understood each other's mind and somehow wanted the same things. No doubt, the girl desperately needed to escape the sisterhood and had chosen that moment to make her move. Whatever her motives, Jocasta thought, she was not about to question her timing.

As if sharing the single thought, they both bent down to pick up one of the strewn apples from the floor. Upon straightening, Jocasta could not help but smile at the co-ordination and would have smiled more if she could have seen the equally amused expression behind the veil. Then, with simultaneous resolve, they headed swiftly towards the door where the novice pressed down upon a hidden panel in the floor with her foot. Jocasta raised her eyebrows at the location of the disguised apparatus but had no time to speculate upon its design.

When the door hissed opened, Jocasta nimbly followed the other into the corridor which was empty and quiet. Still baffled by the novice's actions, she fell into step behind the determined girl who seemed to have a definite plan in mind as she hurried along the passageway. Either that, Jocasta thought, or she has totally lost her mind and was about to lead them into whole lot more trouble.

"We must take the stairs," the girl called out over her shoulder as she scurried through an apparently unlocked door.

"To where?" asked Jocasta who was now wondering if this slightly unstable creature might be about to hit her over the head too if she got the chance.

The girl did not turn as she spoke. "The way out."

There did not seem any alternative but to keep going. Jocasta knew that there really wasn't any way out unless she could get to Lumen and his Vortex Manipulator. Then there was the small matter of the Deep Time Wand to recover. She thought as she ran how disappointed the Doctor would be in her miserable efforts so far to complete her first solo mission. So much depended on her and here she was running in the wrong direction.

When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the novice came to halt and held up her hand to stop Jocasta from overtaking. The door before them was closed but inched open to the girl's light touch. One look into the room beyond was enough to assure her that no unwelcome reception awaited and that they could progress unchallenged. She beckoned Jocasta forward and the pair of them edged into a large chamber which seemed to be part of the Megamuseum's storage area.

Sealed crates and containers were piled high in every direction. Unmanned mechanical lifters moved boxes into localised gravity wells where automated field shifters guided them into convenient locations. Jocasta noticed a number of hovering surveillance devices monitoring the operations and hoped that they could remain outside of their range while contemplating their next move. As they slowly backed up against the wall to evade notice by the flittering lenses, the whoosh of an opening door disturbed the air right behind them.


	45. Chapter 46

Jocasta spun around just in time to see a sub-curator emerge from an elevator cabin to stand directly in front of her. The novice at her side stood rigidly still as if the sight had frozen her limbs and if it hadn't been for the intervention of a second person appearing from behind the black-robed figure to restrain her, she would have thrown herself into a headlong attack without hesitation.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," advised the grinning Time Agent. "I tried it once and nearly broke my hand."

"Lumen!" gasped Jocasta and just about retained the presence of mind to prevent herself from throwing her arms about his neck.

"And in case you didn't recognise him, this is our old friend the hologram," said Lumen, still grinning. He was immensely pleased to find her safe and just as relieved that a reckless rescue attempt would no longer be needed.

Jocasta stared at the Hardlight who was scrutinising the novice with equal intensity. Before introductions, such as they were, could be made, the sister was tugging urgently at Jocasta's sleeve while at the same time pointing down a poorly lit passage between packing cases. All three of the fugitives followed the line of the girl's outstretched arm to find a heavily armed company of black-clad men heading towards them at a brisk pace. Simultaneously, the elevator door swished shut to leave their options of escape severely reduced.

"This way!" the hologram said with a calm not enjoyed by his organic companions.

With choices at a minimum, the party of four set off in the opposite direction to the advancing guards and into a cavern lined with metal cubes, the contents of which could not be fathomed. The overhead lighting only penetrated to their level occasionally between boxes leaving them dependent on the hologram which had adjusted its composition to emit a warm glow. Behind them, they could hear shouts and threats echoing through the metallic corridors as the radiant Hardlight became the focus of their pursuit.

Through a narrow side passage they fled until arriving at an entrance to another chamber which as far as they could see was completely empty. Ambient lighting was reduced to a bare minimum inside the area but when the novice lost her footing and had to cling to Jocasta for balance, she let loose a small shriek which reverberated away into the murky greyness like a plaintive plea in an old cathedral. Lumen checked his wristband for signs of life but the device still had not recharged and its displays were dead.

There was no possibility of doubling back so the group blundered on into the gloom. The hologram had no choice but to shut down his light emissions to barely an outline as the++ chances of them being hit by indiscriminate gunfire was increased by there being no cover to conceal them. Jocasta thought that it looked like a pale ghost of a man with its matt framework no more than a dark blur in front of them. The hullabaloo of curses and warnings from somewhere to their rear increased as their pursuers appealed for light.

"What is down here?" asked Lumen of no one in particular.

The sister professed ignorance of all but the most well used passages and the Hardlight had presumably cut down its sound output as well for no response was forthcoming. A flash of laser fire fizzed past some way to their right but the flare of unexpected light clung to their eyes as they pressed forward. Voices echoed all around them giving the impression that they were surrounded but doggedly they forged on into the cavernous chamber.

Abruptly, the floor started to incline sharply downwards. The change in the slope became more pronounced until Jocasta felt her feet slip out from under her and she started sliding down a shiny slope. The novice toppled down beside her and began the descent too while if the Time Agent's cursing was anything to go by, he was also on his backside not far behind. Whether the hologram had succumbed to the change in gradient, she could not tell but she hoped that its hardlight components were less vulnerable to the effects of gravity than its organic companions.

Down and down they slid on the metallic floor which was presumably so finely polished that the heat produced by friction was not a danger to them. No sounds of alarm or panic issued from behind them so Jocasta assumed that they were alone in their measured plunge. Finally, the ground started to level out and suddenly their momentum was brought to a halt by a change in texture of the surface beneath them. Jocasta sat for a moment to get her breath and check that they were all in one piece. Lumen and the sister looked a little dishevelled but otherwise unhurt. Once again, the hologram was nowhere to be seen.

It was not only the ground that had changed. As their eyes adjusted, a new, twinkling brightness grew about them and a soft, salty breath of sea air reached their nostrils. Jocasta immediately responded to the familiar and welcome aroma by jumping to her feet and studying their new environment. They were surrounded by a mass of green shrubs and trees growing out of a lush, tangled undergrowth. Birds sang from somewhere in the canopy above where dappled sunlight invaded and the crackle of chirruping insects was evident all around them. From not far away, Jocasta heard the crash of surf upon rocks and her heart lifted to its swell.

All three of them brushed down their clothing and then headed towards the sound of the breaking waves. After a brief battle with the stubborn vegetation, they emerged upon a sandy beach that stretched away far along the tree line in a gentle arc. A blue ocean confronted them which broke into swathes of white froth over a submerged reef a little way out between the headlands of a large bay. The water that washed up the fine sand to the shore was placid and benign. A short way off along the worn path that led down towards the sea was an Information Point sticking up from out of a solitary rock.

Jocasta strode forward to examine the data source while Lumen walked down to the water's edge and cleaned his face and hands in a small pool. The startled sister stood still at the head of the path and stared out through the mesh of her veil. Unbeknown to the others, tears of joy were running down her face at the sight of this unexpected paradise.

"It says here that this is real," Jocasta announced from reading the information on the screen. "Not a holographic display but an entire ecosystem brought here from another world and sustained by complex environmental techniques. It reminds me of my home except that the sand is a different colour as is the ocean."

"Does it say anything about how to get out?" enquired Lumen who was tapping at his still inert wrist strap.

Jocasta looked over at him. "Don't jump the gun, Agent Lumen. We have to find a way back in. Don't forget what we came here for. The Wand is still in the sisters' possession."

Lumen couldn't resist teasing the girl. He nodded solemnly at her assertion and then walked slowly over to where she was standing with such a look of grief and disappointment on his face that she instantly felt ashamed at her implied criticism of his failure to remember their mission. She patted him on the shoulder and tried to think of something positive to say in order to lift his mood. Before she could come up with anything, he put his hand inside his coat and removed a familiar object.


	46. Chapter 47

"Do you think this would be any good?" he said with that boyish grin that lit up his face. A face that she was very tempted to slap.

"How?" she settled for after a moment wrestling with her anger and euphoria.

"Long story, I'll tell you later but we need to get back to the Tardis. The hologram has disappeared again so we can't rely on him for help. My Vortex Manipulator should recharge soon, now that we are out of that place. By the way, who is your friend?"

Jocasta tore her eyes away from the Deep Time Wand in Lumen's fist and turned her attention to the sister who had walked down to the lapping ocean and was allowing the cool water to trickle over her bare feet. She held her boots in her hand and looked rather incongruous in her novice's outfit with the smudged veil. The wide bay with its sparkling water and rich, deep sand made her appear small and alone; a dark speck against its sun drenched brilliance.

Jocasta called out to her. "Hey! We never got introduced. My name is Jocasta Gold. This is Agent Vincent Lumen. What do we call you?"

The girl turned away from the sea towards the pair who were still standing by the Data Point. With a sigh, she started to walk in their direction whilst pulling at the fastening that kept her veil in place. When she was standing right in front of them, she hesitated for a few seconds then removed the lace from the wimple. Her heart-shaped face, exposed to the light of the sun for the first time in some while, was pale and tearstained unlike Jocasta's which had turned a rich crimson with shock.

"You can call me Sophia, Agent Lumen," the girl said quietly. "I don't know what my sister is going to call me."

Jocasta didn't call her anything. After a moment or two of sucking in air like a New Bermudan Cliff Diver before a dangerous plunge, she ran to her estranged sibling and grabbed her firmly by the shoulders to examine her every feature. The same honey blonde hair as her own but cut shorter to frame her face. Grey eyes flecked with gold that Sophia had always joked was dust from far suns that she would one day travel to. A wry grin that was so much like father's.

For a microsecond, she had not believed what she was seeing and thought that the shape shifting hologram was playing some cruel joke upon her. The solidity of the girl's form and the desperate expression of hopeful appeal assured her that it really was her lost sister standing there. The urge to hold on to each other was overwhelming and soon the two grateful girls were sobbing and laughing in a close embrace.

Lumen watched for a minute then moved away to give them space to enjoy the moment. He had still to grasp how this entire environment was in existence underneath the earth so the most likely explanation of this miracle was to be found on the data screen. At his touch, pages of information flashed in front of him, too much to absorb all at once. With a little more concentration, he managed to locate the section that interested him and immediately discovered that they had not travelled straight down as suspected but around in a long curve that had deposited them outside the Megamuseum's vast grounds.

Lumen looked up from the screen into a blue sky and realised that this transported segment of another world may well be supported by fearsome technology but it was still Earth's sun radiating its benevolent energy down to power it. At the very moment that he peered up into the blue heavens, Sol flickered as if in answer to his silent question. Once again it blinked, orange and then red before returning to its original brightness. Both girls saw their shadows darken and stared across at the Time Agent for an explanation. A shaking of the ground beneath their feet had them all struggling for balance.

"That was an earthquake!" he called out to them. "The solar activity is causing the Earth to become unstable. We have to get back to the Doctor with the Wand."

Jocasta gave him a questioning look but saw from his grimace that the Vortex Manipulator was still out of commission. She turned to gaze out at the ocean as if expecting to find some inspiration on its rippled surface. What she did in fact discover was that the tide was in full ebb and was quickly disappearing out into the bay. In its place was an ever increasing area of the sea bed littered with exposed wrecks, gasping fish and yellow plankton. The ocean was withdrawing at an unnatural pace laying bare even the reefs beyond the headlands. There was only one explanation for such a phenomenon, she knew, and there would be no time to escape its fury.

"What's happening?" shouted Lumen as he watched the bay empty.

"There is only one thing it can be when the sea retreats like this," Jocasta yelled out over the hissing and gurgling of the uncovered wet sand.

"What?" Lumen asked worriedly.

"Tsunami!" screamed Sophia, waving a shaky hand at the distant horizon where a mound of green water had just risen into view.

A dull roar like a powerful engine starting some miles off reverberated across the flat exposed sea bed and up over the shoreline. Even from that distance, the air being propelled forward by the fast moving wave was blowing the loose sand up towards the trees. As they stood stiff-limbed in shock, staring out to sea, the tsunami suddenly doubled in height in the shallow water. It reared up like a titanic ocean beast, its head awash with streamers of white foam that cascaded down across a deep green mass that was smooth and deadly.

Jocasta jerked her head around in every direction but could find no obvious means of escape. They only had minutes before the juggernaut was upon them and nothing in sight would be strong enough to protect them from its awesome power. In her panic, she nearly didn't notice the shimmering patch of air a short distance along the beach. The now shrieking seismic wave drowned out the familiar wheeze of decelerating engines and if it hadn't been for the slow coalescing of a dark blue shape at the corner of her vision, she might have missed her chance and perished.

"This way!" she screamed and then grabbed hold of her sister's hand to drag her towards the materialising Tardis. Lumen was right behind them when Jocasta thrust open the door and hauled Sophia in after her. The Time Agent had barely a few seconds to glance at the mighty wall of enraged ocean maybe a hundred feet high come sweeping over the headlands and up into the bay at breakneck speed. He toppled forward into the blue box and just about got the door shut behind him as the avalanche of dark water struck.

The Tardis, more used to coping with the colossal pressures at the edges of Black Holes, stood firm as it was engulfed. The steady beacon on its roof blinked in calm, regular pulses as a million tons of Tsunami thundered over it. On a minor dial located far back on its main console, a red needle flicked a brief distance along its calibrated scale to mark the event.

Jocasta had no idea that the Tardis would resist the onslaught so easily and had thrown herself and her sister to the floor in anticipation of a catastrophic impact. When it didn't come, she slowly picked herself up, checked that her sister was unharmed and then searched around for Lumen who was just rising also. They shared a relieved look when the Time Agent retrieved the undamaged Deep Time Wand from his pocket. Together, they moved around the Tardis' bridge in search of the Doctor to inform him of their success. Curiously, there was no sign of him at the helm.

Stranger still was the fact that the engines were grinding into motion once more without anyone at the controls. Jocasta watched open-mouthed as levers slid forward, buttons depressed and coded patterns of lights blinked on and off unaided. A minute later, the overhead screens told her that they were heading at top speed towards a planet at the other end of the galaxy named Androzani Minor.

It was impossible. The Tardis was now hurtling through space without a pilot. Somehow, she did not think that her brief driving lesson around the Ilium system was going to be enough if the Tardis realised its error.


	47. Chapter 48

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**CHAPTER 6**

Drax had thrown himself away from the rock wall just before a great rumbling of cascading boulders had rained down from the darkness overhead. He had hoped to stop for a few minutes to catch his breath after his claustrophobic experience in the cramped passage but the debris thrown up by the impact of the strikes had him choking as he ran. Through the clouds of dust ahead, he homed in upon the flashing light on top of the Tardis and in unsteady steps, reached the blue door which opened to his touch.

Before ducking inside, Drax glanced back over his path towards the aperture through which he had squeezed a moment earlier. The air was thick all around but it was clear to him that the Doctor had not made it through and was not likely to given that the fissure was now lost under a mound of fallen rocks. He peered into the gloom for a few more seconds and then quickly disappeared inside the blue box, slamming the door behind him.

If he had expected an empty and silent Tardis then he was only half right. Certainly, the bridge was alive with electronic and mechanical activity to say nothing of the more arcane energies flowing deep in its circuits. Obviously, the Doctor was not there to harness this unique power yet the Tardis seemed primed and ready to leave at a moment's notice. Drax peered around suspiciously through dirt-encrusted eyes but could find no intruder to challenge. Unsurprisingly, it was his own uninvited status that soon came into question.

"And who might you be?" a polite voice enquired from an unseen source.

"I'm Drax," the dusty Time Lord said simply. His vision was still hazy and he had not been in a Tardis for many years.

"My name is Widemind," replied the AI authoritatively. "My sensors indicate that you are a Time Lord but not the one that I was expecting. Perhaps you could explain this anomaly. External surveillance is much reduced and the Doctor has been less than communicative in recent minutes."

Despite the pain from the bat's milk coursing through his system, Drax managed to describe the events of the last few hours and in return, Widemind briefly explained its own presence on board and the scope of the problem before them. Drax stared wistfully around at all the comforting fixtures and familiar designs of a functioning Tardis as he absorbed the new information about the galaxy's impending destruction. He nodded, sighed and thought glumly of frying pans and fires. The AI remained silent.

"We must move into the cavern beyond and find the Doctor," Drax announced with unexpected animation. "I assume he has a plan to deal with all this."

Widemind made a sort of snorting sound. "WE have a plan for all of this, yes. However, before you go rushing headlong off into certain danger, I should warn you that you have only thirty minutes to live. Or thereabouts."

Once again, Drax received the bad news calmly although both of his hearts started racing with unwanted anticipation. He had known that injecting the untreated bat's milk into his body had been a risk but the additional coating he had received in the corridor at the mercy of the panicked creatures had undoubtedly proved too much. A glance down at his red, swollen hands indicated as much.

"A tachyon bath?" he asked hopefully.

"Too late," the AI replied tersely.

Drax took a long breath. "Then we had better get going, hadn't we. Half an hour to dig out the Doctor should be enough if he hasn't gone and got himself in too deep. He always used to, you know. When he was young. I was forever getting him out of trouble, most of it his own making, of course."

"You will regenerate," said Widemind in an attempt at reassurance.

"That's what I'm afraid of," replied Drax but would not be pressed for an explanation.

The Tardis posed no problems in handling for the Time Lord despite his long absence from the controls of his own vehicle which had been destroyed centuries ago. He confused the AI totally by comparing the experience to that of operating something called a bicycle and that it was only a matter of not falling off. Widemind, despite failing to comprehend the archaic references, did learn much from Drax's piloting techniques, something the Doctor had been careful to disguise.

When they arrived in the neighbouring cavern a few seconds later, the AI felt confident, should the occasion call for it, that it could manoeuvre the Tardis to any point in the universe without difficulty.

The onboard screens were telling a grim tale. The outside environment had deteriorated significantly. Great rocks were still tumbling from overhead and the ground was shaking not only from the impacts but also due to the return of the gigantic cyclone on the surface. Drax wondered if he would be able to find his footing through the clouds of dust let alone locate the Doctor in the dark recesses of the cave.

"I have detected a life sign," declared Widemind. "It is the Doctor. The lamp on top of the Tardis can be used as a floodlight to illuminate your path and lead to his location. Take this communicator and place it in your ear. Will you need tools?"

Drax shook his head. "No time for that. Just show me where he is and I'll get him out."

Another spasm of pain wracked his body but he put the discomfort aside and stepped out into the cavern. From inside, the scene had looked fearsome enough but the noise of crashing boulders and grinding stone underfoot was deafening and intimidating. Drax was not an agile man and over the years, his frame had grown heavier as his hair had receded. These rather annoying changes stayed with him through subsequent regenerations despite the increasing unpredictability of the transformation.

Drax moved gingerly into the illuminated beam provided by the searchlight and stared down at the path ahead. It seemed solid enough but the vibrations running through the whole area made keeping his balance a major challenge. Slowly, he edged his way forward through the clouds of red dust.

"How did you know I was dying?" asked Drax as he shuffled along.

"The Tardis only allows me access to certain systems. When you arrived, I was able to scan you for injuries and discovered the rather virulent toxin in your blood. It appears that despite having a number of remarkable properties, it is poisonous to most organic lifeforms and no antidote is known. Your records show limited research into this aspect," said the AI.


	48. Chapter 49

"You downloaded all of my work?" Drax seemed surprised.

A noise like laughter buzzed through his earpiece. Widemind had bypassed the stringent security measures with ease and siphoned off every scrap of data from the research terminals in every department. The Spectrox analysis was especially interesting given their current purpose although the Doctor had yet to explain how they were to proceed. A situation that the AI with its unwanted human emotional imprint found perplexing and frustrating.

"Watch your step now. I have detected the epicentre of a high magnitude quake thirty miles away. I recommend that you hold on tightly to something right away."

Drax looked around frantically for a stable base to cling to but found little to inspire confidence. Beneath his feet, he felt the first few tremors start to move the ground so in the absence of any firm anchor, he set off on a zigzagging run over the rubble-strewn cavern floor in the direction indicated by the searchlight beam.

It proved to be an inspired move. As he skipped across the littered landscape under a slightly lighter gravitational pull than he had been used to inside the facility, many of the potential perils were avoided. The shaking ground barely inconvenienced his long, loping strides which also allowed him to hurdle obstacles with elegant ease. He reflected wryly, as he dodged nimbly to the side to avoid a falling piece of the cavern roof, that even in his dilapidated condition, he could still cut a dash when required. The thought cheered him as he reached the circle of light on the crumbling wall that the Tardis had indicated to be the origin of the Doctor's life signs.

"I can't see him!" yelled Drax through the press of noise and dust.

"There is no need to shout," the AI complained. "The communicator excludes all unnecessary background sound. The Doctor is buried beneath the rockfall directly in front of you. He is alive but may be injured. You must dig him out carefully but hurry, more quakes are imminent."

Drax looked down but saw only broken shards of stone at his feet and up against the facing wall. The smaller ones were easy to cast aside but as he dug deeper, more formidable weights thwarted his progress. After struggling to remove one particularly awkward slab, he was rewarded by the sight of the Doctor's face staring up at him. A small amount of blood was visible through the dirt but no serious contusions were evident. The half-buried Time Lord's smile seemed to confirm Drax's assessment.

"You took your time," the Doctor observed and then coughed sharply.

Drax managed to clear several more rocks aside but one intensely heavy block resisted all of his efforts. The Doctor's body had not been crushed beneath the mass of granite but it had fallen on him in such a way that he couldn't find enough leverage to push upwards while Drax pulled. Both Time Lords soon realised that no amount of heaving was going to make much difference. Nevertheless, when Widemind informed them that it was taking the Tardis away to deal with an emergency elsewhere, they suppressed their surprise and renewed their efforts with desperate intensity.

"What emergency?" gasped Drax as he tugged at the rock in vain.

"I thought you would know!" the Doctor grunted through gritted teeth.

"Me? The AI seemed to be on top of things. Anyway, I thought it was your Tardis."

"So did I. Now stop talking and get me out of here."

Drax took another deep breath and then clamped his hands around the sharp edges of the granite once again. He felt blood trickling down his palms as he strained against the weight but try as he might, the rock remained unmoved. Pain stabbed at one heart then the other as he exerted himself beyond his capacity. He grasped desperately at his chest and fell backwards. More blood leaked from his mouth and nose. From somewhere, he heard the Doctor call out his name but his limbs did not react when he attempted to rise.

"Drax! What's happening?" the Doctor called out from his prison.

The words floated through Drax's mind like distant clouds, their meaning unclear and out of reach. He called for and received enough strength to pull himself forwards until the Doctor's anxious face came into view. There wasn't, however, enough energy to conduct any further feats if strength but merely sufficient to gasp out the somewhat ambitious thought that had just entered his head.

"I have a plan," he spluttered.

"At last," the Doctor replied without humour. "Tell me."

Drax coughed dramatically then explained. "I'm going to die."

Despite the hellish noise all around, the Doctor's silence was piercing. Drax laid down slowly in the dust and wondered if he would be able to continue a one-sided conversation as his life ebbed away. Two Time Lords together, he mused, passing what might be their final moments enclosed and entombed instead of out in a sparkling, unlimited universe. He inhaled and tried again.

"I am reliably informed by the absent Widemind that the bat's poison is killing me. In about five minutes, probably. So, what I'm going to do is..."

"I know what you're going to do," the Doctor interrupted. "You're going to expire right in front of me and then try to regenerate. It's madness."

Drax sighed. "Yes, but it should work. My regenerations are unpredictable, I know, but the mutations always fill me with phenomenal strength; enough to get you out."

The Doctor struggled but could not sit up. "Another bad regeneration could be your last, Drax. You should be in the Tardis. The systems there could help you stabilise."

"Too late!" yelled Drax and suddenly sat bolt upright radiating a cascade of yellow light.

"Drax!" bellowed the Doctor but could see little of the events outside of his prison.


	49. Chapter 50

What he could see was a golden glow that pulsed and flickered like a rising sun in the dusty gloom. The analogy made him think of rebirth and revival but the truth of it was less inspirational. Drax's regeneration would be agonising and distressing without any assurance of success. The question was, would he mutate out of all recognition into an uncontrollable beast or ultimately degrade away into energy? When the huge slab of stone suddenly lifted off him and sailed away into the air like a discarded paperweight, the Doctor peered up into the shadows for the answer.

Against the black backdrop of the cavern roof, the Doctor saw the ragged silhouette of a man twisted and bent at impossible angles. The figure was screaming out his distress as he swayed but the rumbling tremors consumed his anguished cries. Before the Doctor could rouse his stiff limbs to support himself, the still regenerating Drax lumbered away into the carnage of the cave and disappeared from view.

Slowly but surely, the feeling returned to the Doctor's legs as he struggled to his feet to check his body for damage. He was mildly annoyed to find that his favourite coat had taken a bit of a battering but encouraged to discover nothing but minor abrasions elsewhere.

When he was fully upright, the first thing that occurred to him was that without the light provided by the Tardis and the small amount of artificial illumination that had been installed by the facility staff, negotiating the uneven floor was going to be tricky. As his eyes grew more accustomed to the murky darkness, the Doctor noticed that in places, the cavern roof had partially collapsed and daylight was streaming through like a series of dust-filled spotlights. Of Drax there was no sign.

After checking his watch to see how much time had passed, the Doctor bent down to pick up the earpiece that had shaken loose during the rockfall but could raise no response from the missing Widemind. He wondered what crisis had caused the AI to hijack the Tardis and leave the planet without him. Were the suns collapsing already? Had Jocasta run into trouble on Earth? Perhaps the ambitious AI had simply stolen it. These questions would have to be addressed later. There were more pressing matters to be dealt with not least of which was the wisp of Spectrox he still had in his hand.

The urge to discard the fragile material was strong but he knew that the chances of finding any fresh samples inside the disintegrating cave were slim and besides, it was likely that the damage was already done. He thrust the flimsy stuff into his pocket and wiped his hands on his coat. Reluctantly, he recalled the last time he had touched the toxic substance with unprotected hands and the pain he had endured before dying.

On that occasion, a strange rash had covered his skin but a swift check over his exposed flesh revealed that the blisters and blotches on his arms that he had noticed after being bitten by the enraged bats were still present but no new lesions or discolouration were visible. Strange, he thought, but a bit of good news was always welcome.

A thunderous crash only a few yards to his left had him staggering almost to his knees as a barrage of loose stones raked across him from the impact of a large rock striking the ground. In addition to the grazes inflicted by the shrapnel, the noise and shock were urgent reminders that without the Tardis to effect an escape from the stricken cave, the only way out was to make for the surface. He glanced at his watch again and frowned. A raised path not far ahead seemed relatively unscathed so the Doctor scrambled up on to it and continued along the narrow trail with his arms outstretched like a tightrope walker.

The constant tremors made the journey hazardous but it wasn't long before the cavern's mouth loomed into view. The light there was inconsistent as if great clouds might be smothering the sun and then releasing it again to radiate brightly. He had to negotiate one or two mounds and craters caused by the tumbling roof but the ground around the entrance was less cluttered and more even. The Doctor came to a halt a hundred or so yards from the opening as something new entered the equation.

The earthquakes had stopped, at least for the time being, and the rain of heavy boulders had become more of a drizzle than a downpour. What had taken their place was an angry whining sound that varied in pitch as he strained to hear beyond the cave mouth. In an instant he knew what it was and immediately considered retracing his steps to search for a safe spot to shelter. Outside, a colossal storm was raging with winds racing past at such high speed that the entrance up ahead was acting like the blowhole to some outsized musical instrument, causing the air to drone and hum in eerie melodies.

The Doctor knew that the rock face overhead was unstable and likely to subside under the battering it was receiving inside and out. He was also aware that conditions on the face of the planet were so inhospitable that nothing could survive out there for more than a few minutes. Between a rock and a hard place, he mused, as he stood still, uncertain as to which way to turn. Then, just up ahead by the angry mouth of the cave, a figure stepped out from a concealed fissure to stand on the very edge of the storm.

"Drax!"

The Doctor shouted at the top of his voice but it was useless against the wind. He watched as the stumbling Time Lord took several steps forward but was immediately rebuffed by the agitated air. Drax tried once again to breach the tempest, still it proved impenetrable. The Doctor ran across the stony ground to join his friend at the entrance in an attempt to haul him from the very teeth of the tumult but Drax shook him off and blundered forward. For a moment, his clothes flared like trembling wings about him before a mighty gust swept him off his feet.

At the last moment, the Doctor sprang into the air and attached himself to Drax's trailing legs before the swirling winds could sweep him away into the void. All his breath was sucked from his lungs and his body was stretched painfully by the grasping wind but he hung on grimly, providing a fragile anchor that threatened to give way at any minute to the storm's power. The tug-of-war continued for seconds which felt like hours until finally something had to give.

The Doctor and Drax were dragged across the cave floor until they collided with the solid stone wall that lined the entrance. The impact was uncomfortable but not unwelcome as it provided a temporary respite from some of the wind's ferocity, allowing the Doctor to pull the heavy Drax back into safety. After a series of pushes, heaves, stumbles and lurches, both Time Lords were laid out behind a large rock, one unconscious but still regenerating, the other exhausted and jealous of his colleague's oblivion.


	50. Chapter 51

Time passed. Time that could not really be spared if his plan was to be implemented successfully but for all that, the Doctor knew that no Tardis meant no escape. Not immediately, anyway. The Spectrox Research Facility had disappeared altogether and he fervently hoped that all of the scientists had made their way safely to the subterranean bunkers to await rescue. Ships would eventually arrive to pick up the marooned researchers but only if he got away first. It wasn't the first time that the fate of the galaxy had rested in his hands but it was certainly the first time that he was totally unable to do anything about it.

At his side, Drax began to stir from his torpor and gaze about through bleary eyes. The Doctor studied him as he sat up but did not comment on what he saw. The ripping wind had torn his outer clothes to shreds so that much of Drax's upper torso was visible. In the soft light, it was clear that his whole body shape had changed with sharp angles of bone pushing up his skin into reptilian ridges. The abnormal regeneration had turned his facial features cruder and more simian though the gentle brown eyes remained intelligent; the Drax of old was still in there, the Doctor thought gratefully.

"What happened?" asked the newly-formed Time Lord huskily.

"You happened, that's what," the Doctor laughed, relieved to see his old friend altered but no different.

Drax hauled himself up to his feet but found that the blood in his veins was still hesitantly negotiating new pathways leaving his muscles weak and unresponsive. The Doctor caught him as he slumped back down, easing him into a sitting position against the dark rock. Drax smiled awkwardly as he rested his head back and inhaled some dry air.

"Just like old times, really," he gasped.

The Doctor nodded and his green eyes shone. "If I remember, the last time you and I worked as a team, Drax, it brought the house down then as well."

"The Prydon Academy, you mean? That was a time, wasn't it?"

Drax's voice was ragged but he had relaxed somewhat. The two of them sat upright, dusty and tired, facing back into the cave and away from the cacophony of the storm which had diminished a little in the last few minutes. After a quick check on the time, The Doctor fished out his sonic screwdriver to probe the malfunctioning earpiece. Any hope of making contact with the absent AI was dashed when he found it to be damaged beyond repair. Drax's own communicator lay deep in his wind-ravaged coat pocket which was probably half way around the planet by now.

"Do you remember the day of the great fire?" asked Drax with his eyes closed and the hint of a smile.

The Doctor grimaced. "You want to talk about that now?"

"Well, I've always wanted to know how you got away with it."

"How _I_ got away with it?" the Doctor gasped. "I thought it was you who had the narrow escape."

Both Time Lords laughed out loud and despite the crumbling roof above them combined with the waning cyclone still booming about the entrance, their mirth still echoed loudly around the jagged walls. The Doctor was acutely aware that dire events were threatening thousands of planetary systems all over the galaxy but for the time being, he could do nothing to prevent them. He consulted his timepiece yet again but the hands had barely moved since the last time he had looked. He tapped the glass and reflected sourly how slowly time passed without a Tardis.

"Why do you keep looking at your watch?" enquired the surprisingly observant Drax.

"Oh, you know, just attending to my schedule," the Doctored answered casually. "Now, we have an hour; tell me about your part in Gallifrey's greatest scandal."

Drax considered the Doctor's new time limit suspiciously but decided not to question it. Memories of their youth on Gallifrey and in particular, Prydon Academy were flooding back and in his weakened condition, he was happy to indulge in a little nostalgia. On closing his eyes again, the image of a bright orange Gallifreyan sky filled his head. He thought fondly of the imposing expanse of Mount Cadon, the silver-leaved Forests of Fire and even the enigmatic aroma of Schlenk Blossom that had so perfumed his childhood days.

Drax shook those bitter sweet memories from his mind to focus on the one place that spoke loudest of his association with the Doctor. The Time Lord Academy and its Prydon Chapter were legendary names in the history of Gallifrey; in his own history too as well as his friend's. The strange thing was, he thought, that his recall of the Academy itself was vague and indistinct. In his mind, it just seemed large and overbearing, full of daunting figures in flesh and in statued stone looking down upon his indiscretions. He laughed silently at his own guilty feelings and concentrated on the transgressions of his partner in crime.

"So, Doctor, tell me how you did it. How did you convince the High Council that it wasn't you who started the fire?"

The Doctor turned his head and raised an eyebrow. "Think back, Drax, think back. Who was it broke into the museum vault? Who stole the Blueblaze Glasses from their Crown Harness? Who dropped one while making his getaway?"

Drax did think back. Certainly he had employed his genius to hoodwink the Psyche-Lock and enter the thick-walled strong room. There was no disputing the fact that he and he alone had liberated the Glasses from the safety of their mounting. He also dimly remembered stumbling slightly during his hasty getaway but beyond that, he recalled only success.

The Blueblaze Glasses were a set of three brilliants allegedly recovered from the accretion disc around an ancient black hole. They were dense carbon crystals, mostly translucent but with compressed blue cobalt centres that glowed like the eyes of a Dazzali Cloud Hornet. The azure hearts of these stones occasionally pulsed through several shades of blue, often darkening considerably in times of Gallifreyan crisis. It was said that if ever all three cores turned black and remained so, then they would abruptly set off at great pace back to the black hole in which they were spawned, dragging the planet and every system through which they passed into the crushing singularity with them.

The Time Lords had constructed a harnessing device that recreated the conditions of the stones' original pressurised origins; an environment that conveniently maintained their vibrant nuclei at a consistent sapphire glow. Drax had calculated that the miniature black hole he had fashioned in his own compact but contemporary laboratory would be sufficient to stabilise the Glasses when he moved them from their setting. He had not entirely thought through what he might do with them once he had them in his possession; as always, it was journey that appealed to him more than the destination.

The Doctor had learned of Drax's scheme one evening when he had visited his friend's workshop and immediately divined the purpose of the apparatus he found there. A series of concentrated questions received diluted answers until eventually Drax admitted his ambitious plot and begged for the Doctor's complicity. Being young and rebellious by nature, he agreed to conspire with his excitable compatriot despite his misgivings that the enterprise was doomed to failure. On the night of the break in, he had accompanied Drax as far as the vault and then remained as lookout while the other confused the lock.


	51. Chapter 52

Drax recalled the venture as a sequence of triumphs in which he overcame the High Council's elaborate but fussy security, unchained the Blueblaze Glasses from their easily-pierced prison and then bounded free with his prize leaving the always over-cautious Doctor to trail behind. The small accident he suffered during this glorious victory was so trifling as to be easily forgotten amidst the elation of success. The fire that had subsequently burned down much of the ancient museum building was easily explained. It could only have been the crude but efficient Doctor covering their tracks.

"Oh yes, such a glorious night," said Drax with emotion. "Aren't you glad you were there, Doctor?"

There were indeed aspects of that interpretation that the Doctor recognised. But not many. The over-confident Drax had certainly found a way to fool the telepathic lock on the vault but unfortunately lacked the presence of mind to operate it. He had almost set off every alarm in the place when he had attempted to penetrate the device and only the Doctor's last minute intervention had saved them from discovery before they had even started. It took a disciplined mind to baffle the Psyche-Lock which fortunately he possessed despite his disorganised lifestyle.

Drax had actually managed to remove the stones from their crown and transfer them into his Collapsar device all on his own but in his haste to make an unobserved exit, he fell over his own feet while dashing across the vault and one of the Glasses shook loose from its confines. Naturally, the myopic Drax failed to notice the loss and so upon restoring his footing, he blundered on past the Doctor and away into the night.

From his place at the door, the Doctor had observed his colleague's clumsy progress and so was faced with a dilemma. The urge to follow the fleeing Drax was strong as he had no desire to be left behind skulking, as it were, at the scene of a crime but the sight of the single Blueblaze Glass lying in the middle of the room, glowing and darkening as it reacted to its release was immensely troubling. Nobody had really taken the trouble to analyse the stones thoroughly so it would be a terrible risk to leave it unattended especially, as rumour suggested, the item could be deadly on a planetary scale.

Further deliberation was not an option so he took action in the only way that he could think of. In anticipation of Drax's plan not going as smoothly as might be ideal, the Doctor had constructed a small dampening mechanism of his own which would at least allow him to pick up the blue-hearted stone and transport it safely. As he approached the throbbing Glass with steady steps, an unexpected and disturbing event took place right before his eyes. In one blinding flash of sapphire incandescence, the Blueblaze Glass melted its way down through ten inches of tight-molecule steel and disappeared completely from view.

The Doctor stared down at the bubbling hole for a second and then set off at a run for the stairs that would take him to the floor below. More traditional methods of descent were available to him in the form of Gravity Wells and Magnoglides but he felt more alive and more agile when he moving under his own power. It was a conviction that would stay with him through thick and thin. When he reached the basement beneath the vault, a dripping aperture was easily visible in the ceiling and the beginnings of a corresponding cavity were already appearing underneath the blazing gem in the bedrock foundations.

In an act of bravado which he would later recollect as foolhardy, the Doctor launched himself across the room to trap the Blueblaze Glass in his portable apparatus just before the stone sank forever beneath the surface of Gallifrey itself to wreak unprecedented havoc in its wake. As he lay prone on the cold floor with his hands clasped about the makeshift but lifesaving contraption, he cursed the reckless Drax and his preposterous designs. It was only when the acrid smell of burning polymers reached his nostrils was he able to force himself upright.

What had once been a fist-sized hole in the ceiling was now an inferno of flaming materials that was expanding in all directions. Melting globules of white hot substances that had once provided support to the old Prydon Chapter Museum were now raining down like magma from a seeping volcano. Wherever they fell, a conflagration immediately ensued causing the very structure of the ancient building to burn, weaken and ultimately collapse. All of this became clear in a moment to the Doctor who was backing away towards the exit between the molten drops.

On this occasion, he took the swiftest mechanism up to the ground floor and then raced through the empty corridors to the main doorway. Drax had left it open in his headlong flight which was lucky for the Doctor as the whole wing was crumpling behind him like a house of cards as he ran. Into the grounds he sprinted as the flames licked his back and although it was tempting to turn and watch the building's demise, it was the better part of valour to keep going and thereby avoid the inevitable scrutiny his continued presence would bring.

A five minute walk brought him to Drax's workshop once more where he found the distinguished adventurer asleep in his armchair. The two Blueblaze Glasses were sitting on the worktop, turbulent in their unbalanced glows until he restored the broken triad to its original stable unity. He knew that the events of the evening would not only be considered a scandal when the facts of the burglary were uncovered but a vigorous inquiry would undoubtedly be undertaken to discover the perpetrators.

Once again, he was obliged to make an instant decision. A decision that would determine whether the hapless Drax would be left to evade capture with his stolen Glasses alone or whether he, the Doctor, would take responsibility and find a suitable solution. After only a few moments of deep thought, he swept up the Blueblaze Glasses, tranquil now in their stasis chamber, and placed them in a refractive camouflage sack that was hanging from a convenient Grav-Loop. With the package adhered invisibly to his back, he bade a nodding farewell to the snoring Drax and stepped back out into the warm moonlight.

Although he was not snoring on this occasion, the drowsy Drax had drifted towards the cusp of sleep when the Doctor had commenced upon his recollections but had gradually awoken as the story took on a less than complimentary shape in its evolution. By the time the tale had reached the point of his apparent ineptitude regarding the mislaid Blueblaze Glass, he was wide awake and gazing at his companion slack-jawed. If it hadn't been for the slight nagging feeling of guilt in the back of his mind that suggested there might be some truth to the Doctor's assertions, he would have protested forcefully.

"I know you talked to them so what did you tell the High Council? I mean, they never arrested me or even talked to me about it," said Drax, a little shamefaced.

"I told them that I apprehended the thief as he tried to flee the fire. We struggled but he got away leaving behind his ill gotten gains. The Blueblaze Glasses were placed in a new, more secure venue and when the Prydon Chapter building was rebuilt in materials that would survive a supernova, the identity of the mysterious thief was no longer an issue," the Doctor told him.

"So you were hailed the hero," Drax sneered. "The saviour of the Time Lord's fabulous treasure."

The Doctor chuckled. "No, not really. They never truly believed me but couldn't prove anything. Luckily, while you were developing devious methods to commit crimes, I was hard at work on an improved perception filter which was actually the reason why we weren't ever caught. The famous Time Lord surveillance program was not such a problem to overcome."

"How did they fail to recognise me when I made my escape without you?"

"Do you remember the small, gold pin that I gave you before we set out? I told you it was a lucky charm."

Drax looked surprised. "Yes I remember that. I wore it on my lapel for many years. I had to get rid of it in the end. No one ever paid any attention to what I was saying when I had it on."

"Good workmanship," the Doctor said with satisfaction. "Can't beat it."


	52. Chapter 53

If Androzani Minor had ever been a benign enough planet to encourage colonisation or even temporary residence, then those days were long gone. Evaporating oceans had taken the shine from the world leaving it in the dry grip of the colossal circling storms that reshaped the topography in mighty heaves. Once proud forests of Scotch Pine and hardened Yew were now no more than patches of scrub dotted around the depleted savannah between parched waterways. From their sheltered spot just inside the opening to the disintegrating cavern, the Doctor and Drax viewed this most recent upheaval as more evidence of its hostile nature.

Even though the main hub of the storm had passed over, the Doctor knew that the surface winds could still pull a man apart if he were unfortunate enough to get caught in an especially violent gust. Drax, who was standing beside him, had reached a similar conclusion himself and was preparing to retreat into the rubble-strewn cave. Nothing could persuade him to venture out into that maelstrom of dust and dirt even if his life depended on it.

"We can't stay here," the Doctor insisted. "We have to get out before the roof completely caves in. Stay behind me; don't let me out of your sight. Don't get lost."

Drax grabbed his friend's shoulder before he could take his first step out into the wild world beyond. The fatigue of his last regeneration was slowing him down but not enough to miss a potentially fatal situation when he saw one. Maybe the cavern was unsound with the intermittent quakes still undermining its foundations but to venture out into the tail of a hurricane where visibility was difficult and breathing even more so seemed to him to be madness. He voiced his concerns to the Doctor who nodded solemnly.

"Listen, Drax. Ever since I allowed that AI on board the Tardis, it has snooped and pried into every circuit it could find. It has an ambitious mind and covets the Tardis technology. I have tried to disguise many of my methods but when you piloted your way from the adjacent cavern, you inadvertently displayed your technique which allowed Widemind to repeat the procedure and leave the planet."

"So you're saying it's my fault we are stuck here?" Drax sounded outraged.

The Doctor ignored the remark. "Before I left the Tardis, I installed a failsafe trigger without the AI knowing. If the Tardis travels for more than three hours without me on board, it will automatically return to the co-ordinates I have set regardless of instructions to the contrary."

"So that is why you keep checking your watch," laughed Drax. "How long before she comes back?"

"I programmed the return site to be a mile west of the caverns. Just in case."

"How long?"

"Oh, any time now actually. Let's go."

The Doctor set his collar up around his throat, shoved one hand into his coat pocket and used the other to operate the sonic screwdriver that he was using to home in on the approaching Tardis. He hunched his shoulders and bent slightly forward to keep his centre of gravity low in the buffeting wind but after only a few paces away from the cave, it was all that he could do to stay on his feet. The gale howled around him like a Trillion Banshee but somehow, beneath the chaos of noise, he could still hear Drax bewailing his misfortune.

Into the teeth of the typhoon they trudged. Gusts of hard air like battering rams assailed them from all sides as the wind constantly changed direction; swirling in eddies as the ground changed in elevation. The Doctor cupped his hand over his eyes to protect his face from the driven dust that stung like a million biting insects. He pushed forward, sometimes in heavy steps against the bruising headwind, then in hurried bounds as the gale thumped him from behind, spreading his long coat like a wet sail.

Aside from the soil and grit stirred up in the commotion, sharp-tined sagebrush and twisted tumbleweeds grazed past at high velocity leaving bloody smears about the two of them. Their clothes ripped and flapped. A bat swept by, straining against the tumult then spun away, out of control into the red sky. Drax was struck by a flying piece of debris that turned out to be part of his old laboratory and he would have commented upon the irony if he had thought anybody could hear him. Slowly, stoically they forged on until the Doctor held up his hand and came to a halt.

He waved Drax in close and roared. "Three minutes!"

Drax was not listening. He was, however, watching. Watching a vaguely humanoid form moving towards them from out of the depths of the storm. He tugged at the Doctor's sleeve and pointed at the approaching figure who, it seemed, was not particularly inconvenienced by the piledriver winds and was walking erect in purposeful strides. Both Time Lords observed the advance with a mixture of envy and anxiety. Much to Drax's surprise, when the stranger closed to within about fifteen feet, the Doctor moved forwards to confront him.

"Block! Glad you could make it," he shouted with his back to the gale.

"Good day to you, sir. Forgive my confusion but I appear to be quite lost," said the nine foot tall mechanoid.

"Not to worry, help is on its way. How much power do you have left?" the Doctor asked in breathless bellows.

"About three more minutes," replied Block.

The Doctor squinted down at his watch. "Must be your lucky day. Now if you don't mind, I would appreciate it if you could move in a bit closer, the wind seems to have got up a bit."

The still heavily armed colossus stepped forward and the two Time Lords settled gratefully into its sheltering shadow. Drax decided that he wouldn't ask how the Doctor managed to be on such good terms with the security android and instead tried to make out the distinctive sound of Tardis engines above the general uproar. For his part, the Doctor was genuinely pleased to find that the affable machine had survived the facility's destruction and hoped that the Tardis would arrive on time. He did not relish the idea of carrying the giant Block on board.


	53. Chapter 54

"I hear it!" shouted Drax.

The Doctor tipped his head to one side and concentrated. From out of the red dust cloud swirling around them came first the unmistakable wheezing of his Tardis making landfall closely followed by the familiar blue cube becoming more distinct by the second. In moments, both he and Drax had staggered through the welcoming doors and were gulping in great droughts of filtered Tardis air. Behind them, a weary looking metal titan stood at the entrance unmoving.

"Block! Come aboard!" the Doctor called, beckoning with his fingers as he did so.

With rather an elegant little step, the mechanoid thumped inside the Tardis and immediately came to a dead halt. Almost apologetically, its red eyes blinked, faded and finally died as the mighty machine used up the last of its charge. In the background, an utterly amazed Jocasta Gold watched in silence as the events unfolded in front of her before at last recovering her wits and dashing straight into the Doctor's welcoming embrace.

Drax was clearing the dust and grime from his face as he looked around at the somewhat overcrowded Tardis. Good job it was bigger on the inside, he thought idly. The girl with her arms wrapped around the Doctor was presumably Jocasta whom he had heard mentioned once or twice but the other girl standing in the background was an unknown quantity. Drax pondered. How many females did the man need? Another figure, male this time, had wandered around to examine the defunct mechanoid. The wristband he wore was a Vortex Manipulator which identified him as the Time Agent so in addition to the invasive AI, it was one big happy family.

In due course, introductions were made with the Doctor paying particular attention to Jocasta's sister, Sophia. He waved his Sonic in her direction, explaining that various energies must be checked for following an inaugural journey aboard the Tardis and then studied the readings with some interest. Jocasta gave him a curious look but made no comment. It was Widemind, still reeling at the indignity of being usurped at the controls of the Tardis by the failsafe, that finally retuned their focus to the job at hand.

"If I could have everybody's attention," it intoned haughtily. "Data is pouring in from all points of the galaxy. Solar activity in many systems is reaching critical. Perhaps someone could set course for Shalinedes where my holograms are ready, even if nobody else is."

The Doctor made the necessary adjustments and then slapped his palm against his forehead in a gesture of exasperation. He spun around to face Jocasta who was staring back at him with a blank expression as was Sophia right next to her. Drax, with an expression that said "What now?" moved around the enormous, stationary android to stand stiffly at his side. Only Agent Lumen in the languid way he occasionally used to express composure was leaning casually up against a bulkhead with a dark object raised in his hand.

"Looking for this?" he said with a small grin.

"The Deep Time Wand!" the Doctor said with satisfaction and allowed himself a quick smirk at Drax's stunned expression.

Lumen brought the ancient Gallifreyan artefact over to the Doctor and laid it carefully on a flat area of the console. Both Time Lords bent over to examine the piece and the Time Agent had no doubt that the Tardis and the AI were running full diagnostic scans and drawing their own conclusions. Jocasta and her sister joined them in their study of the cylinder and after a short period of awed silence, it was she who asked the necessary question.

"What does it do?"

The simple enquiry set in motion a whole series of loud, largely contradictory explanations of the item's capabilities. Lumen quoted his Time Agency archives to suggest it was a tool used by a civilisation that had existed before Gallifrey had risen to prominence. This, not surprisingly, provoked howls of derision from the two Time Lords present yet even they could not agree on the Wand's primary function. Widemind chipped in with its assertion that while the materials used in its construction definitely originated on Gallifrey, it was an extremely ancient device and so unlikely of Time Lord design. This remark was greeted with a curt silence.

The Doctor had the last word. "The Deep Time Wand is not simply a construct. It was a by-product of the process that grew the very first Tardis and therefore can only be analysed and ultimately used by this one. In fact, there is an aperture just beneath the console that I believe is its natural home."

More silence ensued after this revelation.

Carefully, the Doctor sank to his knees and peered underneath the main controls. Several crackings of knee joints behind him suggested that his companions were following suit leaving only the exhausted nine foot mechanoid vertical and indifferent. A circular hole in the stem of the Tardis became visible as they lowered themselves to floor level. Unremarkable as many holes were, it was notable mainly for being one of a kind.

Hesitantly, the Doctor leaned forward and lined up the Wand with the dark space. Four sharp intakes of breath hissed behind him as he pushed the smooth cylinder into its corresponding tube before all of them, including the two Time Lords, scrambled back to await developments. Jocasta and Sophia clutched at each other while Lumen frantically tapped at his wristband for answers. Drax and the Doctor stared around the Tardis for signs of activity. Nothing. A minute passed. Still nothing.

"What's supposed to happen?" asked Sophia in a soft voice.

"Maybe the Wand got damaged when Jocasta blew it up," suggested Lumen for which he received a scowl.

"It's old," sighed Drax, who would have received an equally withering look from the Tardis if it had possessed the means.

"Oh for Heaven's sake!" exclaimed the Doctor and then stepped over to the console to deliver a weighty thump with his fist.

Lights that the Doctor had never seen lit before suddenly flared into life accompanied by a grinding noise that suggested the engines were preparing for unprecedented efforts. A tremor passed through the Tardis not dissimilar to the grinding quakes that had devastated the cavern and the boom of what sounded like an ocean liner's foghorn echoed up from somewhere many leagues beneath them.

Then they were in motion. And such a motion that the Doctor had never experienced before. Needles pushed fruitlessly at the end of dials as green readouts maxed through orange into red. Eight previously dormant alarms rang out while sedate screens which usually provided information on temperature and atmospheric pressure levels blinked bright blue warnings of imminent failure. Widemind experienced the human equivalent of a breakneck speed ride on a rollercoaster and Lumen's wristband display flashed just one word.

"Evacuate!"

Drax's unsteady constitution almost complied with the wristband's proposal as the Tardis executed a series of abrupt manoeuvres barely compensated by the inertial dampeners. The Doctor was frenziedly pulling levers and pressing buttons without apparent response and the immobile Block was providing a useful anchor for the two terrified sisters. It was as if some unknown agency had grasped the blue box and hurled it disdainfully across space. Otherwise, everything was under control.

"What's happening now?" wailed Sophia whose tranquil years with the Artemis Chapter had not prepared her for such unsettling events.


	54. Chapter 55

"It's like some sort of turbo-charger," shouted Drax.

"More than that," replied the Doctor who had given up wrestling with the controls and was confining himself to studying the screens.

More bumps and tumbles rocked the Tardis until, almost gratefully, it slid smoothly to a halt. Strident warnings relaxed to admonishing hums while straining indicators that had been desperately searching for urgent colours beyond scarlet to emphasis the danger slowly slumped back into the more peaceful depths of blue and green normality. Only Lumen's wristband was still pulsing a wary, "Proceed with Caution!"

The abrupt quiet came as a merciful relief although the complete absence of alerts seemed troubling in itself. The Doctor was still engrossed in whatever was on the monitor as was Lumen with his wrist display. Simultaneously, they looked up from their screens and stared at each other. In the few seconds since the Deep Time Wand had been inserted into the Tardis' core stem, they had travelled halfway across the galaxy from Androzani Minor to land unobtrusively once more on the transparent deck of the Helix University.

"Impossible!" muttered the Time Agent.

"Improbable," observed Drax who was gazing at the overhead screen.

"Impressive," said the Doctor and gave the Tardis console a congratulatory pat.

Jocasta had a few adjectives of her own to contribute but decided that she would reserve them for another time. Her sister had clearly not enjoyed the bumpy ride and was in need of a place to lie down until her head cleared. As she helped Sophia away towards one of the unused rooms which held a bed, she shot a warning glance over towards the Doctor who was watching her. The look said, "We have much to discuss so don't you dare leave without me."

Widemind had left without anybody realising it. The immoderate behaviour of the Tardis had disturbed its program and so the logical move was to disengage itself to follow more productive avenues back on its home moon of Shalinedes. Ten thousand Hardlights were waiting for final instructions which would see them each travel to one of the crippled suns and effect repairs. This would include the retuning or even destruction of the Dark Energy Amplification and Transmission Hubs and hopefully, the stabilisation of the star. All that was needed was for the Doctor to utilise his Deep Time Wand for something more practical than speeding.

The AI had discovered many things during its sojourn aboard the Tardis not least of which was how devious the Time Lord was in his activities. He presented himself as the bluff adventurer full of bonhomie and spirited intelligence but there was an underlying ruthlessness that drove him on to achieve his goal. If only a fraction of his reputation was actually deserved, it should not have come as a surprise that the Doctor would be more than he appeared. Widemind wondered ruefully if it would ever truly comprehend organics.

While the great mind pondered its shortcomings, the object of its deliberations was connecting with the Tardis' database to determine the best way to set his plan in motion. With the Deep Time Wand plugged directly in to the core stem, he had hoped that some sort of link could be established which would make his task easier. A quick adjustment here, a minor alteration there and suddenly he was viewing strange displays on the viewer that challenged his perception. He stared as wild shapes swirled in beguiling patterns, full of vibrant colour and sinuous movement.

For several minutes, the Doctor could make no sense of the design. His mind rebelled at the unfamiliar outlines and when Drax was summoned to offer an opinion, he could glean no meaning of what he saw either. Jocasta and Lumen both tried their luck to no avail while the obstinate Widemind could not be prevailed upon to interrupt its own important work. It was only when the revived Sophia, returning from her short rest and curious to see what the fuss was about, intervened and made the necessary deductions.

"Shouldn't take too long," she remarked, staring over her sister's shoulder at the monitor.

"What won't?" asked Jocasta who thought that Sophia must be as confused as she had once been at the mind boggling dimensions of the Tardis.

"That's a Light Arch," Sophia said, pointing at the display.

The Doctor spun around to face her. "You mean that you understand what that is on there?"

"Certainly. You just have to allow all the shapes and colours to wash over you then underneath you can see all the diagrams and text. It's really rather nice," she said calmly.

Two Time Lords, a Time Agent as well as her wide-eyed sister each stared at her and then back at the screen with looks of bewilderment on their faces. All they saw was a whirling nebula of shades and silhouettes flowing lazily in and out of focus. A minute passed while each of them attempted to penetrate the coiling mysteries before them until the Doctor gave up and instructed the surprised young girl to translate. With a startling display of dexterity, she utilised the nearest console keyboard to transfer the images to another monitor where all became clear.

"It's a Light Arch," announced Drax and received yet another look of scorn, this time from both sisters.

"Sophia was right, Drax, it wouldn't take too long to put one together," said the Doctor.

Jocasta let out a long breath. "I feel a "but" coming."

"But...," the Doctor drawled. "We don't need to. Drax, take Lumen with you and go to Silo 8. You know how to find it. Open box 367."

Lumen looked up from his wristband. "What's in there?"

"A Light Arch, of course. I knew it would come in useful one day. Never throw anything away, that's what I always say. Now get going," ordered the Doctor, throwing Drax his screwdriver which would open the locks.

Jocasta had taken no notice of this exchange. Her full attention was upon her sister who was still translating images between screens. The shock of finding her again, not just alive but fit and well, full of spirit and now, it appeared, talented beyond expectations was still weighing on her mind. She wanted to take the girl away from the console, away from people and into a quiet place where sisters could be sisters again without the pressures of the universe weighing heavy. No answers had yet been forthcoming from the girl when Jocasta had pressed and now she had surprisingly signed up full time into the group that was apparently the galaxy's last hope.

It wasn't long before Drax returned from the depths of the Tardis holding a white crate about the size of a hat box. Lumen followed him in carrying a length of blue cable wrapped like a hose over his shoulder. Everyone watched attentively as the Doctor rummaged inside the box, pulled out a thin lead which he plugged into a socket on top of the control panel. He smiled and nodded when a satisfying hum throbbed through the connection.

"What does it do?" Lumen murmured to Drax.

The Time Lord explained that the device was in essence, a photonic enabler. When the arch was erected, free photons could be passed through one side and emerge in cohesive solidity on the other. The arch could be programmed to form those free photons into whatever solid shape that was required and it was a more sophisticated version of this apparatus that the AI used to create his Hardlights. Data streams could be added, other more exotic energy particles could be woven in and it was anybody's guess what the Deep Time Wand was going to add into the mix.

Jocasta came over to join them as they watched the blue cable stiffen into an arch once it was attached to the hat box transformer. Power flowed from the Tardis into the unit turning the flex a vibrant purple. The arch glowed blue for a second, flared once, and then took on the same hue as the flex. Several controls on the front face of the box required adjustment before the Doctor was satisfied that all was ready.

"Is it supposed to glow that colour?" enquired Drax. "I thought that Light Arches were blue."

The Doctor shrugged. "I think the Wand is influencing the process. As I understand it, the AI will transmit its ten thousand holograms up to the Tardis, then through the Arch where they will not only be simultaneously transported to each affected sun but also amplified with enough power to affect the DEATH crystals."

Drax looked surprised. "That's pretty impressive science, Doctor. Was it your idea or Widemind's?"

"Neither. When I started looking through the data banks for information on the crystals, the Tardis flagged up the answer. Get the Deep Time Wand and retrieve some Spectrox."

"Speaking of which..."

The Doctor nodded and walked over to the communicator. From his coat pocket, he pulled out a clump of whispy material that in the cool light of the Tardis sent shivers up his spine. He did not know why it had not poisoned him this time but he wasn't about to complain at the reprieve. He pressed the hailing switch to make contact with the moon where the AI had its base.

"Okay, Widemind, time to go to work. I'm feeding the Spectrox into the Toxic Chemical Drop. The Light Arch is functioning as you can no doubt detect. The integration process will be complete in...let me see...two minutes. You can start beaming your holograms up and through then."

Jocasta leaned around him. "Won't that take too long? To get them up from Shalinedes?"

"That's the beauty of holograms," he explained. "They travel at the speed of light when they need to."

"Alert! Alert! Doctor, you must consult your screens," boomed the AI's unusually anxious voice over the speakers.

Everyone on board the Tardis bar the dormant Block ran to a position where they could see a monitor. An ever increasing list of numbers and letters were rolling down the screen which had all who recognised their significance gasping in horror.

"Tell me!" roared the Doctor.

Widemind buzzed and crackled. "Star System 48733-A has gone nova! Star System 77205-D has gone nova! Star System 559..."

"Casualties?" the Doctor bellowed, cutting the AI off abruptly.

"All uninhabited systems so far. However, I think that you should be aware that warnings of imminent collapse are coming in from everywhere. The most at risk are on the screen."

"Thirty seconds!" yelled Drax who was observing his own two minute countdown.

Jocasta pointed up at the screen again. "Why is that system flashing red?"

"It's one of the populated areas," said Lumen.

"Not just any populated area," announced the Doctor in a low voice. "It's Sol system. It's Earth!"

**END OF PART ONE**


	55. Chapter 56

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**PART 2**

**CHAPTER 7**

"Drax! Drax, where are you?" the Doctor barked in irritation.

"He had to lie down. He's sick!" Sophia snapped back.

The Doctor looked up from his console and stared hard; first at the red-faced girl who had so recently become one of his ever-expanding group of travelling companions and then around the Tardis for the freshly regenerated Time Lord. He knew that the transformation had been tough on Drax given the deteriorating mutations that were plaguing him but all hands were needed on deck to help cope in the midst of the crisis.

"Alright," the Doctor conceded. "Lumen, take over here. Keep the blue lever pushed right down until I tell you. Jocasta, hold on to that stabliser; if it starts to shake... hold tighter."

Under normal circumstances, Jocasta Gold would have had something to say about those vague instructions but the urgency of the situation forced her to concentrate upon her task. She noticed the same intent expression on Lumen, the Time Agent's face and even that of her sister, Sophia, who had been allocated her own controls to monitor. Only the recumbent Drax and the energy-sapped mechanoid, Block, were not contributing to the effort. As for the Doctor, he was a whirl of focussed activity, moving from handle to switch to screen in almost balletic leaps.

"Widemind!" the Doctor shouted. "It has to be now!"

Four anxious faces turned towards the Light Arch which was throbbing powerfully in bright purple pulses. All of a sudden, a flash of white light blazed like a new formed star directly in front of the Arch and then arrowed forward to disappear through the photonic enabler. With the help of the Tardis, amplified by the mysterious Deep Time Wand, ten thousand Hardlights were transported simultaneously across the galaxy to reappear at centre of as many troubled suns.

Once inside, their holographic matrices, enhanced by the wonders of the Wand, would infiltrate the intricate workings of the Darksun crystals to reverse the energy converters' production which had been cruelly adjusted to transform the star's life-giving solar power into its strange dark counterpart. If the switch was accomplished in time, the stability of each sun would gradually be restored and the threat to neighbouring systems negated. At least, that was the theory and the Doctor was a big fan of theory. Practice, of course, was another thing altogether.

"Doctor, what's happening?" asked Jocasta, who had been expecting some sort of announcement to appear on the screens straight away.

"We have to wait," he replied in a tense voice.

The Tardis was vibrating gently having expended considerable amounts of energy in the process of hurling the Hardlights far across space and time. The Doctor, also trembling slightly, fixed his eyes to the screen that held the list of seriously threatened systems as if he expected the numbers that he knew to be those of Earth and its sun to flash an encouraging colour indicating their salvation. Instead, it stubbornly maintained its red status of impending peril. His rapt attention was interrupted by the Time Agent who was still clinging to his blue lever.

"What happens to the holograms?" Lumen wanted to know.

The Doctor shook his head grimly. "Their sustaining energy will be entirely consumed by the Darksun conversion. They won't be coming back."

Agent Lumen nodded but was not entirely sure how he felt about that. During his time in pursuit of the Wand on Earth, he had built up a grudging respect for the eccentric hologram which had not only liberated him from his prison but also aided him in his escape. Despite being composed entirely of light and possessed of a haughty photonic personality, the Hardlight had been tireless in its attempts to succeed in its mission and an affable companion in the process. It was only the urgent summoning of the Widemind-operated Tardis, Lumen reflected, that had saved all them from the tsunami.

"How much longer?" cried Jocasta, whose knuckles had gone white gripping the stabliser.

"You can let go of that now," said the Doctor. "That goes for all of you. Nothing we do here now will make any difference."

On hearing this disconcerting news, Sophia slipped away from her post to check on the ailing Drax who had retired to an adjacent room in order to rest. She was extremely glad to have found her sister again and their time for talking would come soon but there was something about the fragile Time Lord that she found compelling. The Doctor, on the other hand, was clearly under a lot of stress and would require Jocasta's support while the enigmatic Time Agent seemed aloof and introspective. Before things got bad, she decided, she would make at least one friend.

Despite being new to the Tardis and its habit of shuffling its rooms through trans-dimensional rifts, she managed to find Drax where she had left him in the strange empty chamber he had selected. She peered in through the small square window in the door and was relieved to find him supine but conscious. Much to her irritation, he had ignored all of her entreaties to find a comfortable room with a soft bed and guided her to this bland white polygonal space into which he had settled with a loud sigh.

"Why have you chosen this place?" she had asked testily. "It hasn't even got any furniture."

"Not necessary," Drax had answered. "It's a Zero Room. It will help me heal although it won't provide a cure. This Tardis apparently lost its original Zero Room many years ago but with the help of the Deep Time Wand, a new one has been fashioned for me."

"For you? I thought the Tardis belonged to the Doctor."

"Don't let her hear you say that. A Tardis is a partner, not property. This one obviously felt sorry for me and gave me a place to recover. Tell the Doctor. I'm sorry."

Sophia did not understand. "Sorry for what?"

The answer had faded on his lips. In a matter of just a few seconds, Drax had stood up quite straight, tipped back on his heels to a point where gravity should have claimed him and then levitated to a position four feet above the floor and parallel to its smooth surface. His eyes closed. His breathing reduced to a shallow murmour and if she had known to check for two hearts, she would have detected dual irregularities. Now she had returned to find him still improbably suspended but once more alert.


	56. Chapter 57

Sophia pressed the door release and entered. The room was colder than when she had left it and the air felt thin and pure. She had not noticed it before but apart from her own quiet footfalls, there was not a sound to be heard from any direction. Not so unusual, she supposed, for an empty room but the absence of any vibration, to which she was sensitive, radiation that always set her teeth on edge and even particle resonance which was virtually impossible, made this a very special place indeed. She put aside her disquiet and approached Drax.

"You're looking better," she said but did not really mean it.

The Time Lord had responded positively to the soothing pressure-free environment of the Zero Room but he still looked pale and undernourished. His hands were twisted and clenched as if he was enduring great pain yet the calm in his blue eyes spoke more of fatalism and fatigue when he gazed up at her. Sophia knew little of Time Lord longevity but in that stare, she saw an ancient weariness that convinced her that Drax, unlike the Doctor, had known great solitude in his life as the warmth of companionship had been sadly denied him. She resolved there and then to at least make the attempt to rectify that oversight.

"Tell me what happened," he managed in a husky drawl.

"Well," she started out uncertainly. "As far as I could understand, the Light Arch transported a great army of holograms out to the stars. They were enabled by something on the Tardis to nullify the threat to the galaxy and restore order. The Doctor said we must wait for good news."

Drax nodded but made no move to change position. He felt weak and unsure of his new body's capabilities. He knew that his most recent regeneration had not altered his outward appearance greatly but internally, the mutations had torn and stretched him in uncomfortable ways. The tranquillity of the Zero Room was therapeutic yet somehow, the presence of this young woman brought him an unexpected relief. When she laid her hand lightly upon his chest, it was a feeling not unlike that of the restoring field of a tachyon bath which had been so critically unavailable earlier.

"Do you want me to leave?" asked Sophia when he closed his eyes.

Drax smiled and placed his hand over hers. "Tell me how you got here," he whispered.

Sophia laughed wryly. "If you could teach me how to lie down on thin air like you do, then I might be a bit more comfortable. It's not a short story."

No sooner had she uttered the words than an invisible cushion swept her feet from beneath her and laid her out beside the reclining Time Lord. At a respectable distance, naturally. Whether it was a pillow of concentrated force or a bolster of dense air that supported her she did not know, but after the miracles she had seen that day, she was not about to question its nature. Instead, she accepted the transparent bed, made herself comfortable and set about revealing her deepest secrets.

Jocasta had watched her sister slide away into the rear of the Tardis and marvelled at how easily the girl had settled into life away from the Artemis Sisterhood. When the Doctor had snagged the swimming Jocasta and brought her on board, the culture shock had taken her weeks to come to terms with, and they weren't in the middle of some galactic catastrophe then. Sophia had taken the startling internal dimensions of the Tardis in her stride and was now not only helping the Doctor avert the crisis but also playing nurse to the stricken Drax. A long way from the plucky but home loving rock climber from New Bermuda, Jocasta thought.

Another thing that had come as a bit of a surprise was the lack of domestic discourse that had taken place between the sisters since her dramatic reappearance on Earth. Jocasta had a long list of questions concerning her disappearance and her time with Artemis but circumstances had conspired to put that conversation on hold. Nevertheless, it seemed strange to her that Sophia would gravitate so easily towards the injured Drax before talking to her own sister. Something was wrong somewhere, she was sure of it.

"Doctor, the Light Arch is glowing again," Lumen pointed out.

Sure enough, the violet glow was flickering around the Tardis walls once again indicating that the device was in use. All eyes were upon the blazing arch as a sharp white dot appeared at its centre which grew quickly until a shimmering humanoid outline formed and then stepped out from the unfathomable depths. Lumen almost ran forward to greet his old friend the Hardlight until he realised that all of Widemind's troops were undoubtedly identical and this one might not even know him.

"Report!" growled the Doctor as the tension scratched at his nerves.

"I am Collation Hologram Three," the Hardlight announced coolly. "Nine thousand nine hundred and eighty three transmissions received. Twelve supernovas in progress. All other affected sectors stable. Quadrants Two to Nine, no casualties. Ten to Fifteen lost three systems but all were unpopulated."

The Doctor clamped his palms to his temples. "Just tell me how many were lost!"

"No inhabited planets suffered losses however several ships have reported severe damage and two Civilisation Spacestations have had their orbits destabilised. Four thousand and nineteen satellites have failed to communicate and a further seven hundred and forty one listening posts have been deactivated. It may be of significance to you that a fleet of Ionocci Vanguard Drones were forced to deviate from their attack path by an unexpected electromagnetic pulse. They now lay dormant in orbit around the moon of their intended target, Torquus VII. Negotiations for scrap value are already underway."

The Hardlight added matter-of-factly. "Naturally, all Hardlights were successful in their missions and were consequently destroyed. Lost their lives, in fact."

Lumen was saddened by this but was glad to hear so many people on endangered planets had survived. He glanced at the Doctor to gauge his reaction to the news. The Time Lord was staring down at something on his display screen and was pretending to be distracted. Lumen could see, however, a look of great relief in his eyes. It was not often, he thought, that the great Doctor would display such naked emotion undisguised. The Time Agent addressed the hologram.

"What about Sol System? I was born a Timer."

"A what-er?" enquired Jocasta.

"A Timer," Lumen answered. "Early pioneers of the Terraforming Mars Experiment were called Timers."

"Is that why you became a Time Agent?" asked Jocasta, eyes innocent and wide.

"No!" replied Lumen and would say no more.

"Neither Mars nor Earth suffered any permanent damage although some seismic activity did affect both worlds. No casualties reported," said the Hardlight. "It should be noted that two thousand and seventeen distress calls are currently being picked up on Shalinedes many of which originate in the Sol sector."


	57. Chapter 58

"The controls, of course. I'm far too busy to drive now and you're a veteran. Get us to Sol system and no taking the scenic route," said the Doctor and much to her surprise, left her to it.

Sophia thought that she had been left to it as well. She had started off telling Drax about her youth on New Bermuda and the life she had led on the blue planet. The convalescing Time Lord had fixed his grey eyes upon her, encouraging her to tell her story in her own time but after a few minutes, his head tipped back and his breathing became even and shallow.

"It gets better," said Sophia, dejectedly.

"I'm not asleep," Drax replied without opening his eyes. "I have just lowered my heart rate, well, only one of them, so that I can devote all of my energies to your story. Now, you were about to tell me about your rock climbing."

Sophia sniffed and then settled back upon her transparent cushion, thrusting her mind back to the time when she had taken on the fearsome splinter of basalt known as Firespike. Despite its name, the peak was not actively volcanic but was one of the famous Seven Fiends of Wendax which scraped the sky like a demon's claw many miles to the north of Lagoon. All seven had been climbed before but Firespike was notoriously tricky to negotiate due to the strange fluctuations in heat of its stones. Even at night when many chose to climb by moonlight, essential handholds could inexplicably belch flame causing intrepid mountaineers to plummet uncontrollably into the empty air.

Naturally, many such falls were often broken by cautiously installed gravity nets but Sophia would never use such a device even when climbing alone. In fact, it had been the danger, the difficulty and the drama that had drawn her to the ascent although her decision to tackle it without a support climber had been reckless for someone her age. She had not gone as far as to attempt the Moonlit Path which would have required luminous rope and a clear sky; still, her agitated frame of mind had insisted upon a sunset ascent which always produced serpentine shadows from every crevice.

The reason for her ill-temper and subsequent desire for such a hazardous enterprise had been mostly born out of her dissatisfaction with those people around her. The abrasive aloofness of her sister Jocasta who had buried herself so deep in her studies that whenever she came up for air, all of her old grudges were still there, bright and raw. Then there was the cluttered Hal West whose obsessions ranged from wave riding to Sophia herself. Being with him could be like breathing through a damp sheet such was his smothering attention.

Somewhere in between existed her parents who worked and played in equal measure and intensity. They loved their children but loved each other more. Not such a bad thing, perhaps, but Sophia always felt on the periphery of their thoughts however hard she tried. There were other people in her life but few scratched her surface and fewer still penetrated beneath. All in all, it was the times when she was alone with the elements, with the open sky, that really made her heart sing and so the assault on Firespike was undertaken not only to make her pulse race, but to keep her sane too.

On that particular evening, the bright orange sun had burnt its way down a cloudless sky to heap its molten load upon a sharp horizon. Long, jagged shadows striped the corrugated land beneath the Seven Fiends but across their rutted surfaces, dark tongues of shade licked out through forks and fissures as the last of the sunlight brushed the stone. Sophia had scaled more than half of Firespike's serrated edge before the deepening twilight had forced her to employ her helmet lamp.

Perhaps it had been the introduction of artificial light that had prompted a lapse in concentration and subsequent misjudgement. More likely it had been the unanticipated jet of flame that had roared from a crack in the rock right by her face that had actually caused her to rear back instinctively and lose her footing. Her practised free climbing techniques had saved her many times from crumbling handholds or surprised birds erupting from concealed nests but explosions of red hot fire from the rock was not covered in the handbook.

"You fell?" interrupted Drax, aghast.

"I fell," Sophia nodded. "But not far."

Drax kept his eyes closed but his brows knotted in confusion. "I thought you said that you were more than half way up?"

Sophia laughed. Sometimes when she thought back to that evening, she could hardly believe what had happened herself. In the few seconds that she had spent in midair; in freefall, impending death, or the fear of it, had gripped her mind in a vice so tight that only the futility of her situation had been allowed to creep in. She had known such a fall without adequate safety precautions would kill her stone dead. No reprieves. No rescues. So when the stomach-churning sensations of an unchecked drop back into the warm embrace of summer air was brought to an abrupt halt without the sickening impact of a fatal collision, Sophia had been unable to comprehend the change.

Her understanding was not increased by the subsequent turn of events which saw her descent not only arrested but dramatically reversed. Not a graceful swooping arc that might have been explained by a freak gust of wind but an about turn that had her accelerating away upwards, streaming above the summit of Firespike like a Yippish Inferno Bird whose tail feathers remained ablaze throughout its entire life. If her eyes had remained open, she could have watched the world of New Bermuda streaking away behind her.

Strangely, or perhaps, even more strangely, the normal effects of such an increase in velocity should have ruffled her hair at the very least but whatever it was that propelled her also protected her from the frictions of the atmosphere as well as the attention of gravity. It became apparent after only a few seconds that this bubble of force in which she had been snared was effective against the lethal vacuum of space too. Through wild realms, she hurtled, trajectory unknown and speed unimaginable until finally coming to rest in an area of the universe deserted by stars and as dark as death itself.

Sophia shivered as she recalled the journey. How she had not been frightened by the cannonball dash across the cosmos or even by the fact that she had obviously been abducted by person or persons unknown. Yet the ancient quiet of the formless dark; its black emptiness that had no up nor down, no near or far, not even the sense of any movement or still had brought dread upon her that would not leave whether she held her eyes open or closed. When a pinpoint of silver light appeared directly in front of her face or perhaps a thousand miles away in the void, she thanked a hundred deities for the realisation that she was not alone.

The shining dot proved not to be a shimmering mote just before her eyes but a substantial argent spaceship that cruised silently towards her from a great distance away. She had watched in fascination from inside her capsule of force as the sleek craft ranged closer and closer until it drew to a complete stop only a short way away from her position. The sound of a metallic door swishing open was the first noise that she had heard in a while apart from the echoes of her own desperate pleas and so despite the fact that she was being inexorably drawn towards the forbidding aperture in the gleaming hull, the prospect of contact with whoever was on board was oddly comforting.


	58. Chapter 60

"Did you recognise the ship?" asked Drax who had seen many alien crafts in his time. "Were there any markings or identifications?"

"None at all," said Sophia. "But if there had been I doubt if I should have recognised them. Remember Drax, I was a hometown girl who had never been anywhere, let alone off world."

Sophia considered again the smooth lines of the ship as she was sucked inside. She remembered its immaculate surface and it was as if the structure was so perfect, so unblemished that it couldn't be a regular vessel at all. Not one constructed from traditional space-faring materials anyway. Even an inexperienced traveller like her knew that the rigours of interstellar voyages left abrasions; scars inflicted by galactic debris that no solid substance, however treated, could resist. Of course, a craft fashioned from white light might easily shrug off the violence of astral corrosion.

"It was light ship?" said Drax, surprised. "I mean, it was photonic? Like the Hardlights?"

Sophia nodded.

"That's some pretty impressive technology, you know. Even the profoundly resourceful Mister Widemind has found difficulties in creating and controlling independently functioning Hardlight constructs," Drax informed her.

"So what about the ten thousand holograms that just saved the galaxy?" asked Sophia.

Drax opened his eyes at last and tried to sit up. "One Hardlight; ten thousand replicas, all designed to do the same job. A fully operational spaceship with a million moving parts, now that's clever. How much of it did you see? Who was at the helm?"

"Alright, Drax. Don't get excited. There's more to come so relax," she told him and pushed his straining torso back into his cushion.

She thought about what Drax had said. A million moving parts? Sophia didn't think so. It had taken her a while to acclimatise herself to the internal illumination of the craft as every wall, floor and ceiling seemed to produce its own lambent glow that reduced or increased in whatever direction she moved. No one came to greet her or to see if she was experiencing any difficulties. She was not actually imprisoned or restrained unless you considered being on an apparently empty spaceship in an utterly remote part of the universe restrictive. Moving parts would have been a welcome sight.

At first, she had been afraid to stray too far from the air lock through which she had entered. Not that she held out any real hope of using that doorway as an exit but she had remained there for such a time, testing the atmosphere for breathable gases, flexing her limbs to check for gravitational anomalies and generally getting her bearings that she had decided that it would be her base until ordered otherwise.

After a while, it became clear that no one was going to invite her in or lock her up so if she was to find any answers to her numerous questions, a little exploration was required. One of the problems sitting high on her list was solved in a slightly unexpected way. The corridor through which she was making steady, if uneasy, progress suddenly opened up into a cube-shaped room, featureless but for some markings on the wall. Sophia had never been slow to meet a challenge head on so had immediately entered the area to examine the patterns. What she had assumed might be indecipherable alien glyphs turned out to be words in Galactic English.

"NUTRIENTS" and "HYDRATION" were written in large letters six feet apart two thirds of the way up the wall.

Sophia noted the vague rectangular outline of a touchpad underneath each sign. She could not remember how long it had been since she had last eaten and the water bottle that she taken with her to Firespike had been exhausted during her unconventional trip through space. On the basis that she had not been brought all this way simply to starve to death, she placed her palm on the pad beneath "NUTRIENTS" and watched a recess take shape in the wall.

If she had been expecting a piping hot plateful of Lagoon Lobster in Blue Butter Sauce then she was disappointed. A small circular patch suspended in a thick, clear liquid, it seemed, was all that was on the menu. When she activated the "HYDRATION" alcove, things were much the same except no patch was visible in the fluid. A nutrient patch and a glass of water? Not fattening her up, then.

Despite the paucity of satisfying ingredients, food was food however it came although she doubted her hunger would be assuaged even if her body's needs were met. Her thoughts were anxious and confused. Was she expected to camp out there near the food and drink? Would other necessary facilities be provided? Could even she, the lone wolf, cope with the silence and the solitude until someone came to tell her why she was there?

Drax touched her wrist and felt her racing pulse. "Take a break, Sophia. Lean back, close your eyes. That's right. You don't have to tell it all in one go."

Sophia Gold felt fatigue course through her body. The effort involved in not only the recollection but also the relating was taxing on many levels. Soon she would have to choose. Fool Drax into believing that she had been saved from certain death by a benevolent yet reclusive specie who had eventually dropped her on some outlying world where she had stayed and lived her life in obscurity or tell him the truth. Tell him what she really had become.

Sol system was by no means the centre of the universe as many of the people who had lived there once thought. Although, there were inhabitants of the primary world Earth that still adhered to the belief that despite not being the geographical centre of anything, Sol was still the most important star in existence. Even the Doctor, it seemed, took an unusual interest in the third planet and had spent a disproportionate amount of time there. Now Jocasta, whose opinion of the sector was not positive, was there to find out what all the fuss was about.


	59. Chapter 61

The current fuss was the large number of distress calls that had suddenly emanated from the Sol system after its sun failed to fall into supernova. Certainly, many of the inner planets suffered various seismic reactions to the erratic solar conditions but local emergency services were more than enough to cope with the damage and tend to the casualties. It seemed to Jocasta that the alarms being raised were not purely in response to the near-catastrophe aftermath but something different altogether.

The Doctor was studying the messages more closely and by the look on his face was not drawing any enlightening conclusions from the content. He had separated the obvious signals and warnings concerning the star's imminent collapse as well as the panicked transmissions on unofficial wavebands appealing to various deities or authorities for deliverance. Automatic communications from the largely unflappable satellites and unmanned facilities were also discarded as were the amazingly large quantity of trivial communications that issued forth from the inhabited worlds during the crisis. What was left was not particularly informative.

"Where did all these signals come from?" he muttered to himself.

"My money is on Earth," said Jocasta.

The Doctor looked up. "Why Earth? The planet's population has diminished somewhat since I last visited but they are still an insular lot. Who would be calling for help?"

Jocasta had brought the Tardis to a halt in orbit of Earth's moon where they could pause for a short while to assess their options. She had piloted faultlessly across the space lanes without any turbo charged assistance from the Deep Time Wand and, of course, any commentary from the Doctor. She was, however, experienced enough in Time Lord expressions by now to know that a small, knowing smile and the occasional surreptitious nod meant that she had pleased him enough to acknowledge her expertise without commenting upon it.

"From what I can see," Jocasta explained. "The outer worlds are uninhabited and the gas giants are observed but not populated. The asteroid belt is mined mostly by machines leaving only the four inner planets to support life. The one closest to the star, Mercury, I think, has research facilities and solar watchtowers but is otherwise unexciting. That leaves Venus, Mars and the Earth."

"No doubt you have extrapolated further?" the Doctor said, amused.

Jocasta raised her eyebrows. "Well, Venus has not been fully terraformed yet and so seems to be a work in progress. There are a lot of people settled there but the planet takes its lead from the Martian colonies as well as much of its governmental policy. I'm not saying they are disorganised but their society isn't fully formed yet. They would leave it to Mars or even Earth to raise the alarm."

The Doctor had moved forward to a flashing console where he fed in some data from the list of distress calls. When the answer to his enquiry appeared on the screen, he looked uncommonly pleased with himself. He looked up at the girl with one of his infuriatingly smug grins and waved his hand in a loose gesticulation.

"Go on," he said.

"I know what is going to happen here," she complained. "You will let me outline a whole sequence of perfectly reasoned observations about this system and then you will come up with some piece of local knowledge that I couldn't possibly know which will change everything."

"You mean something like the Fless Corporation has their headquarters on Mars?"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

The Doctor shrugged. "Only that a lot of distress calls seem to stem from there. Some of which are coded."

"I'm not convinced that is especially surprising," she said, a little sulkily.

"What if I told you that once the cipher is removed they were all addressed to me personally?"

"I knew it! Mars it is then," Jocasta groaned and engaged the engines.

3


	60. Chapter 62

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**PART 2**

**CHAPTER 8**

Mars, the Red Planet, was no longer really red. It was now a lush green in parts, an azure, oceanic blue in others with two cold, white caps and patches of industrial brown. From orbit, it resembled Earth in many ways due to the successful Terraforming techniques which had done just that; formed an Earth-like planet from the dry red dust of erosive millennia. Even the mighty Olympus Mons, the tallest mountain in the solar system and named after the home of ancient gods was little more than a picturesque backdrop to the sprawling Martian city along its foothills.

Unlike Earth, the Martian civilisation had not spilled over to infiltrate the furthest corners of the planet but remained mostly centralised in the larger cities. Like the Earth, the population had settled, evolved and finally moved on to more exotic regions of the galaxy where humankind had spread in gregarious migrations to even the remotest regions. The remaining Martians, however, had not grown introspective and xenophobic like their Earth cousins but continued to strive and develop until it was Mars that was the dominant force in the Sol system. It was a constant source of annoyance to them that Earth still enjoyed primary status in the sector.

"The Fless Corporation has its headquarters in the Phobos Tower. Shall we pay them a visit?" asked Jocasta with her eyes on her screen.

"Not straight away. Let's take a look around first. Did I get the chance to tell you about old Amos Fless?" said the Doctor.

"Only that he died some time ago and that he left his fortune to develop the Widemind project."

"Yes, I did say that, didn't I?"

Jocasta narrowed her eyes. "Alright, what's the real story?"

"Well," the Doctor said with a wry grin. "The only bit that I got wrong was that he didn't die or leave his money to build Widemind."

"But he wrote "Seas of Light and Darkness" over two hundred years ago," she replied, somewhat flustered by his levity.

The Doctor nodded and went on to explain how Amos Fless had lengthened the normal span of his life by employing some of the remarkable properties of Spectrox. During his extended years he had accumulated much wealth, some of which he had used in the development of the AI on Shalinedes. Widemind had subsequently researched the exotic yet vital product he craved and recommended further investigation on Androzani Minor; the results, if successful, would guarantee Fless an unlimited supply of synthesised Spectrox and thus, virtual immortality.

Unfortunately, the scientists at the facility on the inhospitable planet had not made the progress he had hoped for, prompting the now aging Fless to authorise even more radical experimentation. This was how Drax and his bat's milk research got funding although the canny Time Lord had his own agenda all along. Now that laboratory was little more than rubble and unless he had found another source of Spectrox, so was Fless' dream of eternal life.

"So why is Fless trying to contact you?" Jocasta wondered.

"Two reasons spring to mind. One, he still has some influence over Widemind and knows that I was on Androzani Minor and in the laboratory when it was destroyed. And two, he wants to know if Doctor Stone has any answers for him concerning the bat's milk," said the Doctor.

Jocasta frowned. "Who is Doctor Stone?"

"That was what Drax was calling himself at the research facility. The AI must have told Fless all about him. We will have to be a little bit careful in our dealings with Amos Fless. I think he is a desperate man."

"Incidentally, Doctor," said Jocasta a little hesitantly.

"On our way back from Earth to pick up you and Drax, Widemind told me about you and the Spectrox. How it killed you once before."

The Doctor looked uncomfortable. "Yes, I've been thinking about that."

"The AI said that a Queen bat's milk is the antidote to the Spectrox toxin. It saved the life of a friend of yours once. Widemind also told me that unrefined Spectrox is the cure for bat's milk poisoning. They both counteract the effects of the other."

"Of course!" the Doctor gasped, remembering the handful of Spectrox he had grasped in the cavern after having been showered in milk by the fleeing bats. Instead of killing him like before, the ghastly stuff had actually saved his life.

Jocasta watched him carefully. "Are you alright, Doctor? You look a bit pale."

"Alright? Alright?" crowed the Doctor. "Let me tell you something about being a Time Lord, Jocasta. Regeneration has its advantages as does all this Gallifreyan technology and know-how. The Tardis is the closest thing I have to family and a thousand years of travel and adventure has taught me many things. But there is one thing that I could not do without. Do you know what that is?"

"Er...me?" Jocasta offered with a nervous smile.

"You are indispensable, without a doubt," he grinned. "But that is what I'm saying. I never would have met you without this thing."

"So what is it?"

"Luck. Blind luck. The most precious commodity in the whole universe. Forget riches, forget immortality. If luck is on your side then there is nothing you can't do."

Jocasta observed him as he spun around the Tardis, laughing and throwing his hands wide like an excited child. Then he lunged towards her, picked her up and twirled her around his head as if she were a prima ballerina. She laughed too. His infectious enthusiasm, the unexpected but truly wonderful return of her sister, the successful mission on Earth and the salvation of the galaxy. All the tension and stress of the last few days finally radiated off her in waves as she danced around the impassive Tardis with the irrepressible Time Lord.

"So," he said, replacing her on the floor once more. "What say we take a look at Mars and then see if that old fraud Amos Fless is up for a visit?"

Jocasta patted down her rumpled garments. "Old, you say. He's a youngster compared to you."


	61. Chapter 63

The Doctor tried to look serious. "That's true. Nevertheless, I am not a fraud, I am the real thing. So, shall we leave the ailing Drax to the ministrations of your admirable sister and disembark?"

"Can we find somewhere to eat? I'm starving," Jocasta pleaded.

The Doctor consulted his watch. "It's lunch time. Good. I know just the place."

The blue doors of the Tardis closed behind them with a gentle click. The air outside was cool and smelled slightly metallic. Rather like the Helix University, the city was composed of many translucent materials that were obviously strong and durable as the slim, elegant towers rose up many levels. Before Terraforming had transformed the planet and provided it with an atmosphere, the original city had been constructed under a transparent dome which had contained their air and protected them from the severity of the sun. That dome was still present, more as a reminder of the city's youth than a functional shield.

Gravity had been set at approximately that of Earth for the benefit of the original pioneers who could feel at home and suffer no bone or muscle damage. Artificial climate controls were still in use despite the new Martian conditions and as Jocasta looked around, it seemed as if the bright, fresh appearance of the place was reflected in its population. No Artemis Sisterhood to impose their intolerant doctrines here. The ruling body was comprised of many factions all apparently with the welfare of the planet at heart. How Fless fitted into that ideology remained to be seen.

The Doctor had taken the lead and guided them to a small bistro near an ornamental pond not dissimilar to the restaurant at which she had dined on the Helix University concourse. The proprietor, who was extraordinarily pleased to welcome them to his premises, was an old friend of the Doctor and immediately offered to bring them the house speciality at no charge. It was not explained to Jocasta what this might consist of so she sat quietly by the tinkling water, her stomach rumbling in eager anticipation.

"Makes a change to meet someone who knows you and doesn't want to kill you although we have yet to sample lunch, I suppose," said Jocasta dryly.

The Doctor was not listening. He was staring across the mosaic tiled piazza at another table where a man sat sipping from a glass containing a yellow liquid that bubbled occasionally releasing pink fumes. There were others sat down for a midday meal but something about the man and his gurgling concoction held his attention. When the diner held up a daily journal to read, it covered his face and the Doctor turned back to Jocasta.

"How's your memory for faces?" he asked quietly.

Jocasta shrugged. "Sometimes, when I glance in the mirror each day, I forget who it is looking back at me, such has life changed me."

"Yes, well stop feeling sorry for yourself and try to get a look at the man sitting at the end table pretending to read a Martian journal. There is something familiar about him. No, no sit down. Just see if you can catch a glimpse of his face while we eat," said the Doctor.

Jocasta gazed across at the figure who was concealed behind his reading material and then, unable to discern his features, returned her attention to their table where her lunch was just arriving. Two beakers of Martian beer were set down rather gingerly as, it transpired, the beverage could be a tad lively when handled roughly. Six round clay pots were placed in a line across the tabletop, all with lids held down by different coloured metal clamps. A plain white china plate was positioned in front of her as well as several shining metallic items which she assumed to be cutlery. Condiments in a gleaming carousel were added as well as a large jug which, she hoped, contained plain water.

The Doctor picked up one of long metal rods which resembled a two-tined pickle fork. He rapped the lid of each container and counted through them one to six as he did so. Apparently it was advisable and indeed polite to eat from each pot in the order that he had just indicated. Allegedly, the dining experience would be enhanced using this method. Jocasta was alarmed to discover that consuming the dishes out of sequence could prove uncomfortable and in some cases, fatal.

"Follow my lead," the Doctor instructed.

Some hours later, after they had left the teeming bistro to the fond waves and farewells of the grateful host, she remembered her introduction to Martian fine dining with mixed emotions. The Doctor had guided her though the culinary adventure with helpful hints as to portion size and the points at which to employ the Martian ale as a digestion aid.

Pot One had been a benign looking broth which she had spooned on to her plate and then added three cylinders of indeterminate meat in pastry from Pot Two. After a mouthful or two, she had looked at the water jug longingly as the high spice of the meat mixed with the sharp tang of the broth had set her tongue ablaze with a range of rich flavours. She had no idea what she was eating but whatever it was, it did not lack drama.

Pot Three contained a selection of green leaves and pungent roots which were to be laid as a bed for the contents of Pot Four; a medium sized white fish dripping in a dark red sauce. Once again, the taste was fresh and the flesh tender. Only the sauce, which was cold and violently effervescent on her tongue, caused her brief alarm by moving the fish around her mouth with its succession of tiny explosions.

The fare was filling as well as fanciful and Jocasta wondered how the food could be harmful even if eaten incorrectly. Pot Five had been no more than a jelly of sharp, citrus fruits while Pot Six had offered a range of kidney-shaped nuts which were to be swallowed whole and washed down with beer. Some striking flavours and well cooked, if unidentifiable, ingredients, she had thought, but only the most sensitive of gastric systems would be unsettled by the meal surely.

"Why did we have to eat the dishes in a particular order?" she had enquired later as they walked briskly along the main street.

The Doctor did not stop as he explained. "Ah well, I'm sure that a robust young woman like yourself would not be intimidated by the danger but some less intrepid mortals fear such trifles. The meat and broth are more or less harmless but the fish is imported from Earth. It swims and is caught in the Coral Sea which as you may know, after an unfortunate accident, is radioactive. Over the years, the creatures have mutated and so become something of a delicacy. Naturally, the specimen that you ate had been decontaminated but I understand more reckless souls eat it untreated."

Jocasta shuddered at the thought and immediately her mind concentrated on the splendid abundance of seafood available on Bermuda and how magnificent they looked and tasted without the need for irradiation. She wondered if she should ask about the later courses that the Martians found so delectable. The choice was soon removed as the Doctor continued with his review.


	62. Chapter 64

"All of the leaves and roots are indigenous to Mars although I believe many are grown in hydroponic laboratories where a certain amount of cross fertilisation goes on. However, it is the red sauce served with the fish that is really the star of the show."

The Doctor paused to examine his young friend but her expression gave little away so he pressed on.

"What you have to remember is that sitting down to lunch is only the beginning of the treat. Those pods that you did not chew in Pot Six? They are actually the larva of the Wild Water Beetle that hatch in the gastric juices of most lifeforms. They are not dangerous as a rule but can be a little intrusive when making their exit. The Red Scorpion sauce that you consumed earlier mixes with the body's digestive fluids to form a coating enhanced by the fruit jelly that covers the larvae and prevent them from opening. Eventually, the pods break down to fill the gut not only with extremely beneficial bacteria but also a sensation of calm that permeates the whole body for days."

Jocasta would be damned if she was going to let the Doctor see her distress. She was not sure if she really believed him but just the thought of unhatched insects in her stomach mingling with atomic fish was enough to make her ill. The only thing that stopped her vomiting was the possibility of seeing those blasted pods again and the fear of losing the Red Scorpion sauce that was keeping them in check. As usual, it was her sense of humour that kept her sound.

"Excellent," she said weakly. "What's for desert? Dalek brains and custard?"

The Central Administration Department was situated on the thirty fifth floor of the Campbell Building that stood on Capital Square. Most Martians thought that having Government buildings on Capital Square in Capital City showed the appropriate lack of imagination and were happy to avoid the area unless they wanted something. In the case of the Doctor and Jocasta with the assistance of Psychic Paper, their application to enter was processed and passed without even the need to make an appointment for the following week.

Inside the building on the Blueglass Mezzanine, they paused to consider the best way up. Gravity Wells were considered passé on Mars so the two of them stepped straight on to the Magnetic Swish Platform which propelled them up thirty five floors in a comfortably brisk ten seconds. Despite the momentum dampeners, Jocasta felt an uneasy stirring of semi-digested pods in her gut and was glad to reach the Admin Section intact.

"What exactly are we looking for?" she asked queasily.

"Amos Fless," the Doctor replied. "Two hundred years of Amos Fless, to be exact. Where has he been? What has he been doing?"

The CAD office had only one member of staff who greeted them cordially but without enthusiasm. Upon production of the Doctor's credentials, he sniffed his irritation, hauled himself out of his seat with a great sigh and shuffled away from his desk. He guided them to an interface, made a few perfunctory remarks concerning its operation and then left them to get on with it. Jocasta watched him mince back to his seat and couldn't help wishing she had kept at least one beetle pod back to drop in his tea.

"Here's something," the Doctor said as he manipulated the colourful images floating in the air before him.

The available information concerning Amos Fless and his corporation was vague and repetitive. It mentioned his birth into a farming family on the agricultural planet of Plainfields. An education on Unilab 9 with no indication as to how it was financed. Then a gap during which it was assumed he travelled followed by the publication and subsequent success of "Seas of Light and Darkness". The Fless Corporation came into existence when Amos was only forty years old.

"I've got an obituary here, and the circumstances, such as they are, of his death," said Jocasta eagerly. "It says he died when his glider crashed into the ocean on Maroon Water VI. No body was recovered. Investments had elevated him to the eighty fourth richest man in the Sigma Quadrant. Moderate contributor to good causes and founder of the Widemind Project."

The Doctor kept searching. "There are references to a mysterious figure at the head of the Corporation. I think Amos faked his own death and made provisions to retain control of the corporation. He simply carried on using the Spectrox and did not grow older. Not at the expected rate, anyway. Keep a low profile, change your appearance and continue running the company without having to share your discovery."

"Why does only he know about the Spectrox?" asked Jocasta.

"The people who once refined and sold it on Androzani Major are long gone. Fless must have found out about it on his travels and used his wealth later on to begin research; all the while keeping it quiet and for himself."

Jocasta laughed lightly. "So now his refinement facility has gone up in smoke, the Spectrox, what's left of it, is buried under a mountain and the famous Doctor was the last person on the scene when all this happened. Is that why he's looking for you?"

"Not me, Jocasta. It's Drax he must be after. Drax was involved in some deep experiments on Androzani Minor. I think that he might be Amos' last hope."

They both lapsed into silence at the thought. How far might such a man go to protect himself from the ravages of age? What resources might he bring to bear? If his best chance of creating his own personal supply of Spectrox had vanished with his facility, he would likely stop at nothing to get hold of Drax and his secrets.

"How do we find him?" Jocasta enquired. "Do we want to find him?"

"The thing I'm most concerned about is his hold over the AI. Consider this. The most powerful intellect in the galaxy, present company excepted, of course, and a the eighty fourth richest man in the sector. Together, they could cause a lot of trouble."

"It says here that the Chairman of Fless is Amos Fless IV but no one ever sees him," Jocasta said. "If he's not a descendant, not a clone it must be him, the original."

The Doctor jumped to his feet and pointed his sonic screwdriver at the data terminal which had just informed him that his enquiry could not be answered due to his lack of security clearance. Jocasta checked to see if his actions were observed but the ineffectual clerk was still a picture of indolence sipping his tea. Seconds later, the two of them were dropping softly on the platform towards ground level once more, the Doctor ruminating upon the information he had just plundered, his pale companion intent only upon keeping her stomach down.

Once again out on Capital Square, the Doctor hailed a bright red Gravcab that would not respond positively to the Psychic Paper, being fully automated, but was no match for the sonic screwdriver. When they were both seated, he voiced his instructions to the eager little vehicle which then promptly raised itself sprightly into the air and sped away towards the location provided.

"Do you ever pay for anything?" Jocasta wanted to know.


	63. Chapter 65

The Doctor looked pained. "This is a public conveyance, Jocasta. There are certain addresses in Capital City that it will not take us to without a little persuasion. And do not worry about payment, I have charged the fare to the Fless Corporation."

Together, they laughed at the impudence and then became quiet, both immersed in their own thoughts. The Doctor, convinced that Drax was as safe in the Tardis as anywhere in the universe, was keen to confront the man who had lived so long thanks to something that had once killed a Time Lord. Anyway, he had been invited, hadn't he? Amos Fless was not to be taken lightly though. The man had lived beyond the limit of most humans and as the Doctor always said, there is no substitute for experience.

Jocasta, on the other hand, was staring out of the cab window and admiring the bright blue sky. She was not sure if it was the result of the new Martian atmosphere or something generated by the dome which still covered the city. Either way, it reminded her of home and the summer days she and her sister had enjoyed as children. She thought of Sophia back inside the Tardis with Drax and hoped that she was recovering from her ordeal and that soon they could become close again as they had been on New Bermuda.

The Gravcab took them at moderate speed outside of the central city area to a suburb that was filled with large residential properties surrounded by green parkland and deciduous trees. At the furthest edge of these carefully cultivated plots, the houses grew in size and further apart. Finally, the cab reduced its altitude and alighted upon a piece of manicured lawn set aside for aerial landings.

The Doctor and Jocasta stepped out of the vehicle and were immediately confronted by three burly gentlemen who were clearly employed as household security. The cheerful little cab popped shut its doors, made a noise of jubilant farewell then swept away into the sky like a scarlet bug. Once again, the Doctor held out his wallet containing the Psychic Paper which was scrutinised by the broad-shouldered guard. For once, the identification displayed was actually his own

"Do you have an appointment, sir?" asked the security man.

The Doctor was heartened by the term "sir" although he usually discouraged its use when directed at him. In this case, it suggested that they were not to be treated brusquely or sent away without a chance to explain their presence. He glanced up at the magnificently ornate structure before him and decided that he would rather like to see if the inside matched the outside. It was something that always interested him. Then he raised himself up to his full height and still had to crane his neck to speak to the guard.

"My name is the Doctor. This is my associate, Jocasta Gold. We do not have an appointment exactly but I believe we are expected."

Apparently, the Doctor's words were heard inside the house because the security guard, responding to an instruction through his earpiece, ushered them up to the front door where he went through a dizzying series of waves and wafts to nullify the intricate alarms before pushing forward through the opening to guide them in. The Doctor nodded gratefully and stepped across the threshold.

Following along behind, Jocasta gaped at the treasures on show around the foyer. The masterworks of art that covered the walls, the jewel encrusted glassware on rare wood tables even the thick, woven carpet, probably a relic of ancient Earth, was a thing of great beauty. Despite her admiration of the quality on display, she could not help but think of the dusty chambers of the Britannia-Megamuseum and its rather soulless exhibition.

"This way," said the only remaining guard, indicating some double doors to the left.

Inside the room beyond was another collection of interesting and expensive pieces that were as eclectic as they were refined. Above the mantelpiece of an old fashioned but apparently functional slate hearth, the Doctor was drawn to a large painting of a woman standing upon a bleak headland overlooking an enlivened sea. The caption at the base of the frame read "The Rose of Gravaggen Loch". The seascape was dark and windswept with only the woman's pale face to lend it some light.

"It is somewhat grim, admittedly, yet dramatic all the same," came a voice from behind him.

"The signature says "Oreden Jones"," remarked the Doctor without turning to greet the newcomer. "The original was stolen from the Capital Arts Museum seventy five years ago and has not been seen since. I can only assume that this must be an extremely effective copy."

Amos Fless walked over to stand beside the Doctor and study the painting. He was an inch or so shorter than the Time Lord but full in the shoulder with an equally impressive girth. His hair was dark with flecks of grey while his skin held a rather curious glow, as if he wore make up or perhaps injected some skin enhancing product to fill out his features. From her position to the side, Jocasta would have guessed the man's age to be a reasonably well preserved forty five. His voice, a somewhat affected baritone, did not conceal hostility well.

"Nothing in this house is fake, fraudulent, falsified or forged," he growled.

"What about phony?" replied the Doctor airily.

Fless flinched at the jibe but recovered quickly. "It was a copy that hung in the Capart Gallery. The original is the one you see in front of you, bought and paid for, I might add.

The Doctor stood back from the fireplace and moved towards Jocasta. He stopped at her side and then turned to face Fless who had also manoeuvred to face his visitors.

"The original is the one I see in front of me, bought and paid for," the Doctor paraphrased while looking Fless straight in the eye.

Amos Fless returned the stare with angry eyes but it was he who was the first to look away. It was an ancient legend of the galaxy that said to match stares with a Time Lord was not dissimilar to locking eyes with a Basilisk. It might not turn you to stone but it would certainly upset your constitution. Instead, Fless crossed the room to a great walnut sideboard which when opened turned out to be a drinks cabinet. Jocasta accepted a Raspberry Wine Cordial while the Doctor requested simply water.

"Perhaps we should not beat around the bush, Doctor," suggested Fless.

"Perhaps we shouldn't. So, what have you done to Widemind?" the Doctor responded.

Amos Fless sipped his Rum Blackjack and considered his answer. "I instructed it not to communicate with you until we had found the opportunity to talk ourselves. And here you are. Without your fabulous Tardis, I'm sorry to note."


	64. Chapter 66

Jocasta had decided at this point that there was to be a fair amount of macho posturing to come and so she would take a whistle-stop tour around the room and perhaps beyond to see if any clues were in plain sight. Clues as to what, she was not sure, but as there were so many remarkable items to examine, the search would at least be pleasurable. It occurred to her that the pieces in this room alone would probably buy her the whole town of Lagoon where she had grown up.

Gold, silver and precious stones seemed almost commonplace, even discarded as she ran her gaze along shelves and tabletops. Landscapes of a dozen worlds littered the walls and one especially startling abstract appeared to change and morph into a crazed mirror image of her own face. It was not a good look, she decided. When she arrived at the end of the room where a pair of French windows was just ajar, she could not resist taking a quick look at the garden.

The Doctor watched her go and hoped she would not get into trouble. The house, so full of handsome objects and fine art, could easily lead the girl to let her guard down in the belief that no harm could come to her in a place of such splendour. From his own perspective, it was often in the midst of beauty, he thought, that evil thrived. When Amos Fless nestled at his side and gave the departing girl such a lascivious look, the Doctor knew his instincts were correct.

"Interesting girl," Fless breathed.

"Bit young for you, Amos. Not even a hundred yet," said the Doctor.

"A little rich coming from you, Doctor. My friend, the AI, tells me that you and your colleague Drax have enjoyed quite a long life. Perhaps you would care to share your secret with me. I have much to offer in return."

The Doctor walked across to the window but could not see Jocasta anywhere. He stepped outside and realised that the grounds to the rear of the property were even more massive than the front. A glint of movement caught his eye but it was only one of the guards with a giant dog on a leash patrolling through the undergrowth. As his eyes adjusted to the brightness, he spotted several more armed security personnel in amongst the trees but of Jocasta, there was no sign.

"I hope your companion has not wandered too far. Some of the plants in my garden can be a little aggressive. Maybe I should have one of my men track her down while we talk. Now, you might be interested to know that Widemind has a theory concerning regeneration that bears inspection."

Amos Fless beckoned to the nearest guard who nodded and immediately set off towards the thicker foliage. The Doctor had his sonic screwdriver held aloft and was frowning at the display which was not locating Jocasta's distinctive signature. In an instant, he decided that something was seriously amiss and launched himself off the step on to the grass. He could hear Fless' protests ringing out behind him but kept running until he reached the trees. Into the tropical vegetation he plunged and found immediately that, to his dismay, Fless had not been exaggerating when he had spoken of deadly plants.

Two Lolongi Stinks hanging side by side, their pink blossoms a mask for their noxious fumes. A Tarantula Tree with its needle sharp spines propelled by compressed gases into any unfortunate creature that might happen by. Several Venus Monkey-Traps, a Voort Sack, full of explosive pepper pods and a number of vines and twines that snaked down from the canopy dripping their sticky poisons. All of these, the Doctor spotted in a single glance as he scoured the greenery for his missing companion. When at last his sonic flashed encouragingly, indicating that Jocasta's signal had been located, he stared ahead at the menacing flora and silently cursed the girl's insatiable curiosity.

"Get behind me!" shouted a black clad security guard who had appeared at his side.

The Doctor did as instructed and was relieved to see the man expand an energy umbrella about them to deter the hungry plants. They pressed ahead through the vegetation until they reached a clearing where they found a suspended Jocasta wrapped almost from head to toe in a muscular tendril trailing from an overhanging tree. The girl's mouth was covered preventing her from screaming out her fear and indignation and it was soon clear that the plant was a constrictor as her face reddened from the embrace.

"I'll shoot it down!" the guarded shouted again.

"No!" the Doctor yelled back. "It's a Yellow Boa. The vine will carry on squeezing even after it is separated from the main stem. She won't survive it."

The guard waved his rifle at the waving limb that held her but did not fire. Two more guards arrived but were held back by the Doctor who was thinking furiously, botany not being his best subject. His Sonic could not help him nor could the poisons or toxins from any of the nearby plants which lived in harmony with the hardy constrictor. Then a thought struck him and he almost laughed aloud.

"Jocasta! You have to listen to me. Push your face into the tendril and then take a bite out of it," he bellowed up at the girl who was being slowly dragged higher into the plant's body.

Her eyes, which were the only part of her still visible beneath the green, went wide at the suggestion as did those of the guards who were standing helplessly by. The Doctor urged her on by making exaggerated chewing motions with his jaws. No one but him moved as they watched the unsettling events unfold.

"Bite it!" he yelled again.

Jocasta wasn't sure if she had heard right but realised there was not going to be a chance to get him to repeat himself. Slowly, she pushed her face forward into the vine which tensed against her as if sensing an attempt at escape. The smell of the plant was not pleasant and she suspected that it would taste even worse. Then she opened her mouth, bared her teeth and took a huge bite from the crushing stem. The flesh stayed in her mouth as she could not spit it away but under no conditions would she swallow it even to clear her airways.

At first the plant did not react. It continued hauling her up, inch by inch, towards a gaping red maw that had opened at the centre of the foliage. Then, as if stung or pierced, the entire plant convulsed, trembling and vibrating like a nervous animal as it started to coil in its limbs. The tendril that was holding Jocasta suddenly unrolled like a released hose to send the surprised girl tumbling towards the ground. Luckily for her, one of the alert guards had positioned himself for such an eventuality and caught her before she hit the ground.

Jocasta nodded gratefully at her saviour then spat a great lump of green mulch from her mouth in the most unladylike way. The guard let her down from his arms quickly and went off to recover his weapon. She turned to the Doctor who had borrowed one of the security men's energy shields and was placing it protectively around the two of them.

"Why did it drop me when I bit it?" she asked as she rubbed her legs back into life.

The Doctor couldn't help but grin. "Ah well, you see, unlike yourself, the Yellow Boa does not like the taste of the Wild Water Beetle and the enzymes released by its pods act as a particularly harsh abrasive on the plant's sensors. There was enough of the stuff in your saliva to make the poor old Yellow Boa to curl up and rest its shaken limbs for a day or so. You, on the other hand, will enjoy the restorative and calming effects of the pods for a similar period."


	65. Chapter 67

Jocasta could not find anything to say in response to this revelation and so marched back towards the house at the Doctor's side. When they reached the French doors, a rather rattled looking Amos Fless appeared with another Raspberry Wine Cordial which Jocasta accepted gratefully and drank back the refreshing liquid in a single gulp. Fless studied the Doctor for signs of distress but found none.

"Just admiring your lovely garden," the Time Lord remarked casually. "It's possible that one or two of your specimens might be a little underfed."

Amos Fless ushered the two of them back inside. The Doctor noticed that his skin had taken on dusty complexion as if the nutrients that fed it were in short supply. Perhaps his store of Spectrox was running low and so his desire to know more about Time Lord regeneration became more urgent. It couldn't be denied, this man had almost impossible wealth and consequently the power that went with it. Nevertheless, the universe was full of people like Amos Fless and their complacency always let them down however ruthlessly they may behave. It was important, however, to play the game; tell them what they want to hear but never give them what they want to receive.

"Despite what Widemind might think, I'm not sure it is possible for a human to regenerate. Not without certain conditions being met," said the Doctor.

"What conditions are these?"

"Well, you have to die for one thing."

Fless smiled rather like a salamander. "The AI would take care of the details for me. All I need from you, Doctor, is the means."

Jocasta was still a little shaky from her walk in the garden but not enough to miss the security men moving into the room via the French Windows as well as the inside door. Both of their exits were effectively blocked and even if they could get out, how would the find a cab so far from the city? She glanced across at Amos Fless in an attempt to gauge the man's mood and was depressed to see only avarice and obsession in his eyes. The Doctor had noticed it too but was far too full of his own deviousness to react.

"What aren't you telling me Amos? There is something else," said the Doctor.

Fless pulled his reptilian grin again. "The AI told me you were perceptive. Alright, I'll tell you. Widemind has explained to me that an addition of Time Lord DNA to my own will invoke the triple helix and consequently allow me to regenerate. The procedure is risky and so can only be performed in one place."

The Doctor stared at the man frostily. "I assume you mean the Tardis and I also assume that you want a DNA sample from me."

"Your Tardis is the only one in existence and the AI can only make the transfer with its help. As for the DNA, you need not concern yourself with that. A sample has already been attained."

"And you think that I will agree to all of this?" the Doctor asked. "Especially as I have no idea if it will even work."

Amos Fless was not a man who was easily denied. He had lived a long time, accumulated considerable amount of money and so was used to getting his own way. When he signalled to one of his men near the door, a sequence of events was set in motion that would change much for the man who had artificially extended his life with the use of Spectrox. Now that Androzani Minor was no longer feasible to exploit, a new and more daring method must be employed if he was to carry on living. And carry on living he must. He could not accept the inevitability of death and had no intention of allowing it to claim him.

Two armed men moved into the centre of the room to stand beside Jocasta. They were not aggressive or disrespectful but it was clear by their faces that they were not to be denied either. One of them took a light but firm grip on her arm and before she could utter a sound, he placed an anaesthetic patch on her skin which deprived her of consciousness immediately. The Doctor had moved forward in an attempt to prevent the assault but he was also restrained by strong, muscular arms.

Amos Fless looked wretched. "I am so very sorry to employ such crude tactics, Doctor, but sometimes a higher purpose must be the priority over subtlety. I was extremely concerned when Miss Gold ran into my Yellow Boa but I need not have worried. You are as resourceful as your reputation portrays you."

"I'm disappointed in you, Amos. I thought with all your years of experience, you might have had more imagination than this," said the Doctor, shaking his head.

"Miss Gold will be my guest here. You and I will travel to your wondrous Tardis where the AI will carry out what is necessary. Naturally, when all is concluded satisfactorily, we shall part company the best of friends with no hard feelings."

The Doctor watched grimly as Jocasta was carried from the room. He glanced at Fless who was busying himself with some last minute details before departure and at the group of vigilant men who were in attendance. No obvious means of reversing the situation revealed itself so he was obliged to co-operate for the time being. He thought that he knew what plan Widemind had come up with for the procedure on Fless and was convinced that it could only end in tragedy. One thing at a time, he mused, one thing at a time.


	66. Chapter 68

Sophia had slept for over an hour before she woke up to silence. Drax was awake but still undergoing his slow recovery from the mutated regeneration that had so traumatised his insides. She watched him as he lay there with his eyes open but not really seeing anything. The unnatural quiet in the Zero Room had helped both of them cope with their troubles and during her hour of slumber, she had remained dreamless for the first time in years. When she moved up into a sitting position, he glanced over at her and smiled.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"As a matter of fact, I do," she answered, surprised at how such a short nap could refresh her so completely.

Drax nodded. "Good, because I think that you need to tell me more of your time onboard the light ship. You seem to have experienced a singular event and I cannot help but notice the similarities to the ship encountered by the Doctor at the centre of the Illium star."

Sophia did not let on that she was aware of the incident at Illium. She was not yet ready to show her hand although if she was to reveal herself to anybody, it would be this affable and gentle Time Lord who, despite his astounding vitality and extraordinary background, was a sensitive soul. Sophia hoped that her sister would understand. Once more, she allowed her mind to fill with images of the light ship and her time there.

According to her chronometer at the time, she had wandered the passageways of the ship for three days, always returning to the food and drink area when hunger or fatigue claimed her. It was clear that she was being monitored as after her first day on nutrient patches, she had voiced her objections loud and long. On day two, fresh fruit for breakfast, hot meals when requested and tea as well as water had been provided. Her insistence on an explanation for her kidnapping, however, remained unanswered.

On the third day of her captivity, she became ill. Not space sickness or any kind of virus but a malaise that brought her low so that any further exploration of the vessel that day became impossible. She received medication that caused her to sleep but her dreams were full of dark shapes and disturbing sounds. When she awoke, the lights had been lowered as they had been previously to allow her natural sleep. Unfortunately, the strange silhouettes were still there.

At first, she had thought that someone was prowling around shining a torch. As she became more aware, she realised that the beamed lights were not moving and they were definite shapes against the wall and floor; like shadows of light. More to the point, something had changed and someone had or was about to make contact; she shivered when she thought about what form that contact might take. When a voice boomed out of the darkness words that sounded like her name, she would have run if there had been anywhere to go.

"Sophia Gold," the voice echoed again and this time she laughed.

Not that she was hysterical. Or even panicked. It was just that the slightly ludicrous situation she found herself in, invisible creatures in the night, sinister intonations from who-knew-where made her think of the creepy films she had watched as a child but had never expected to star in.

"So they spoke to you at last," said Drax, "What did they say?"

Sophia looked thoughtful. "For a while they just said my name. I didn't know whether to answer or not, mainly as I could not see who was speaking."

"Did they not show themselves? Clearly, they wanted something from you," said Drax, puzzled.

This was it. This was the time when she had to make up her mind what to tell him. She knew that she had to tell somebody. It was also clear that with Drax, the Doctor and her own dear sister, no other circumstances were going to present themselves that would make her task any easier.

"Drax, will you promise me something?" she asked quietly.

"I will," he replied, simply and honestly.

"When I finish telling you this, please don't lock me away if you think I am mad. The Artemis sisters wouldn't listen to me, they thought that I was unstable or had lost my mind."

"I promise. Now, go on," Drax said with an encouraging smile.

The inhabitants of the silver ship had an unpronounceable name but for the purposes of conversation, referred to themselves as Dark Life. They came from the same universe but the part composed of dark matter and dark energy. Much the same as her own people's evolution, they had grown and developed into a sophisticated species. Their corporeal forms were real but did not reflect normal light so were hidden from her view. The lights in the darkness were white shadows which were an approximation of their shape.

Sophia listened as they told her of their past, present and future and apart from a few minor discrepancies, the story was almost parallel to the path of her own human development. Despite the vast quantities of dark matter and energy in existence, their number was very few and lacked the diversity of their light life counterparts. The silver ships were a new technology and their first venture into Sophia's plane of existence which they knew about but with which they could not easily interact.

Naturally, she had a hundred questions but quickly prioritised, not knowing how long they would communicate with her. Why had they abducted her? Why did they not choose more eminent people with whom to make first contact? What was it that they wanted? The questions were answered in straightforward terms and without emotional emphasis. She had found what they had to say shocking and depressing.

It was explained to her that her fall from the mountain would have been fatal without their intervention. Accordingly, they had considered her abduction appropriate. It was essentially good fortune that they had been monitoring her at the time although apparently, she was one of only very few humans who were compatible for what they had in mind. They had brought her to their ship in order to process her for the task ahead.

"The task ahead?" echoed Drax. "It sounds as if they thought of you as some sort of machine to be reprogrammed."


	67. Chapter 69

Sophia nodded. "I think that their moral and ethical considerations did not extend to humans whom they thought to be so numerous and multiplying at such a prodigious rate that one less would not be noticed. Especially one that should be dead. They did not want to contact more notable persons as such a disappearance would not pass without repercussions. "

"What did they do to you?" Drax asked in a growl.

"They said that certain chemicals had been introduced to my body in the food and drink that I had consumed. Their purpose was to alter my molecular structure. I didn't really understand all the technical terms but the process would take an indeterminate amount of time, all of which would have to be spent aboard the light ship."

"This is monstrous!" Drax almost shouted.

"Good word," said Sophia sadly. "I probably am a monster, in this universe or theirs."

Drax stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"They told me that when the chemicals had done their job, I would be placed in an energy converter of singular design. The process would be painless and the end product would mean that I was healthier, fitter, more powerful and probably brighter than ever before. I would absorb knowledge, have my latent telepathic abilities activated and be generally more capable."

"And the downside to all this?" Drax asked as dread started to fill him.

Sophia hesitated and the pressed on. "I can't explain the whole thing but essentially, half of me is the same as I have always been but the other half is Dark Life. I am not one or the other. They speak to me sometimes, in my head, but it wasn't until now that I truly understood their purpose. I must talk to you and the Doctor as soon as possible."

With an effort of will, Drax drew himself up into a vertical position and then helped the girl to her feet as well. They exited the Zero Room without speaking and made their way back to the console room in search of the Doctor but neither he, Jocasta nor the Time Agent were available. Even Block, the massive mechanoid was nowhere to be found. Drax checked a few screens for indications of their movements but little was to be found. He thumped his fist against the wall and uttered a Gallifreyan curse that probably hadn't echoed round the walls of the Tardis for a thousand years.

"We wait," he said stonily.

Sophia nodded and looked resigned. "We wait."

No jaunty red Gravcab for the Doctor to ride in this time. Amos Fless owned a fleet of Limoglides which he called upon for his occasional forays into the real world. Despite the many precautions he had taken over the years to protect his secret, rivals and competitors constantly searched for his weak points and detection agencies were upgrading their surveillance devices all the time. The vehicles in which he travelled were impervious to intrusion and alarmed in many ingenious ways.

As they moved back towards the urban sprawl of Capital City, the Doctor peered out of the smoked-glass window into a light shower of rain that blurred his view of the skyline. Despite the downpour, he could make out the tall, shining buildings rising like glass spikes from the city's central hub. It was not an unusual sight for a modern metropolis on a busy world to be so impressively vertical yet somehow, a symmetry had been achieved, a balance of buildings that was pleasing to the eye.

"It is beautiful city," said Fless, noticing the Doctor's appreciative expression. "I couldn't live there myself, of course. Too many people."

"Not partial to crowds, Amos? Or afraid someone might recognise a two hundred year old man who had been keeping the benefits of Spectrox to himself for all that time?" asked the Doctor.

Fless did not acknowledge the speculation. Instead, he pulled a small plastic earpiece from his pocket and placed it appropriately in his ear. He listened for a short period, nodded his understanding and listened again. The information that he was receiving clearly pleased him as he demonstrated with a satisfied smile which he directed at the Doctor. After a few more seconds of nodding, he issued his own instructions in a stern voice.

"I have the Doctor with me. Have everything in place for our arrival. Yes, the Doctor understands our purpose and will offer his assistance if needed. No, he will not be a nuisance."

The Doctor knew that the conversation he had overheard one half of must have been with the powerful Widemind. Some piece of sophisticated software must have been installed in the AI when its original construction had taken place and now Amos Fless was able to bend it to his will. The rest of their journey through Capital City took place in silence until they arrived at the Tardis, the location of which had presumably been provided by Widemind whose program had again been allowed to infiltrate.

The Doctor stepped out of the long, black vehicle and was escorted forward to the pedestrian track by two security men who had travelled with him. There they left him while Fless stood back to examine the blue box from the outside, already anticipating what he would see when he stepped inside. Even that prior knowledge didn't really prepare him for the sense-shocking experience of entering the Tardis for the first time.

"Remarkable!" he uttered in a sharp whisper.

"Well, it's home," said the Doctor casually. "Will your bodyguards be joining us?"

Fless shook his head. "No, they will remain outside.


	68. Chapter 70

The Doctor moved further into the Tardis where he came upon Drax and Sophia who had stepped forward when the door had opened. A glance over his shoulder told him that Fless was too busy gazing about him to notice them so he ushered the pair out of the console room to conceal themselves elsewhere. Widemind would undoubtedly be aware of their presence but there was no need to expose them to trouble needlessly.

"Keep out of sight for a bit," the Doctor hissed. "I'll call you if I need you. There is going to be a bit of trouble and I'm going to need your help."

"Where are you, Doctor?" said Fless who had recovered somewhat from his earlier surprise.

The Time Lord moved back into the light and attended to several levers on the control panel. The door to the Tardis closed and he and Fless faced each other across the room.

"Don't think that you have the upper hand, Doctor," Fless drawled. "Widemind is now on board and Miss Gold is not. That will only change if my conditions are met."

The Doctor smiled. "Then we had better get on with it. Widemind? Can you hear me?"

A buzz of annoyance hissed around them. "There is no need to shout, Time Lord, I am right here."

"Good. Now, to do this right, you will need a bio-chamber and a DNA Rhythmic Transphaser," the Doctor instructed.

"It has already been set in place. The Tardis has been unusually co-operative and will assist in the procedure. While the light arch was in use, I sent two Hardlights to remain on the Tardis which I shall activate now. They will be waiting in the bio-chamber for my instructions. The DNA that Drax so kindly donated with his blood upon our first meeting had been retained in stasis and will be ready also."

Amos Fless held up his hand to the Doctor. "No more talk. My bones are getting weak. We must proceed now."

The Doctor stared at the man for a few moments and then nodded his head. He guided him through the doorway that led off the console room into a corridor that was only partially lit. It took only a minute to reach the bio-chamber that had been set up for use and for Fless to be attended to by the Hardlights. When he was stretched out on padded table and being prepared for the procedure, he called out to the Doctor who was standing by the door.

"I promise you," he said in a strained voice. "If anything goes wrong and I am either unconscious or dead, your companion will be released and returned to you without conditions. I am not a monster."

"Don't do this, Amos," said the Doctor who had heard the fear in the man.

Fless laughed. "Don't worry about me, Doctor. Maybe you will take me for a ride in your wonderful Tardis when we share the same DNA?"

"Maybe," the Doctor muttered and then left the room.

For a while, the Doctor watched the holograms at work through the window in the door. The DNA Rhythmic Transphaser hummed into life and with the Hardlights making the appropriate adjustments, Flees' body started to vibrate as the rigours of the process invaded him to his very core. The whole procedure would take only twenty minutes although what happened afterwards might go on for much longer. He took one last look and then went off to find Drax.

"Doctor! In here!" Drax hissed from an open doorway.

"This is a Zero Room!" the Doctor gasped as he ducked inside.

Drax nodded. "It's the only place where the AI can't listen in to what we are saying."

"But the Tardis doesn't have a Zero Room. It got destroyed years ago."

"The Deep Time Wand helped the Tardis fashion another one. It's been helping me with the symptoms of my mutated regeneration."

The Doctor blew out his cheeks. "Did it now? Anyway, talking of mutated regeneration, Widemind is currently conducting an operation on Amos Fless to implant his DNA with a triple helix. It is using Time Lord blood that someone carelessly left around to make it work."

"But that is madness!" spluttered Drax.

"Will it work?" asked Sophia who had come to stand by Drax and hold his arm.

"Probably," said the Doctor. "But as soon as the process is completed and Fless wakes up, his system will undergo an initial regeneration to integrate the triple helix."

Drax grabbed the Doctor's hand. "We have to stop him! His human body won't survive it."

"His men have Jocasta. If I try to take the Tardis to her, Widemind will warn them. Fless said that he will have her released if the operation is successful. Drax, you know what to expect. Can we do anything to delay the regeneration? Time enough to get Jocasta free?"

"Believe it or not, the refined Spectrox would do it," said Drax. "I used to use it to suppress my own instability."

Sophia stepped in between the pair. "Doctor, I might be able to help. Jocasta and I have a telepathic link although she doesn't quite know it yet. Now that we have been in physical contact again, I think that I could get through to her and help her escape."

Both Time Lords stared at the girl as if she had told them she had two heads. Drax knew about the changes that had taken place inside her which weren't so different to what Fless was undergoing as they spoke. He hadn't realised how much she was now capable of and how much she could help them. The Doctor remembered his first scan of her with his sonic screwdriver and how the readings had been a complete mystery to him.

"Drax, take my sonic. It will lead you to Fless' suburban home. Take Sophia and get Jocasta out."

"What about you?" said Drax, taking the screwdriver.

"I put the Spectrox that I brought back from Androzani Minor in the Tardis Refinement Unit. I thought we were going to need it for something. Seems I was right. Somehow, I'll get it into Fless. How much time will that give us?"

Drax shook his head. "One dose? About forty eight hours."

"Then you better get moving," said the Doctor as he left the Zero Room behind him.


	69. Chapter 71

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**PART 2**

**CHAPTER 9**

When Time Agent Vincent Lumen had told the Doctor that he needed to leave the Tardis in order to continue his own investigation into the Dark Life phenomenon, he had not expected to be saddled with a large security mechanoid for company. Block had barely survived the destruction of the research facility on Androzani Minor by hitching a ride on the Tardis and using up the last of its charge to help the Doctor. Now, fully invigorated by energy enhanced by the ancient and arcane Deep Time Wand, it was ready to burst into action, all guns blazing.

Lumen hoped that wouldn't literally be the case as the mechanoid had dozens of weapons concealed about its gleaming body, all fully loaded and primed. It was comforting to know that if they somehow got involved in any small scale war or unprecedented siege, their survival was relatively assured. However, if a subtle piece of undercover sleuthing was required or if perhaps some unobtrusive interviewing became necessary to further the cause then it was unclear how they could realistically proceed.

He had told the Doctor that a trip to the moon Shalinedes, home of the formidable AI, Widemind, might be helpful if they were to discover more about the motives and goals of the mysterious Dark Life. That was indeed the plan for later but first he wanted to visit Agent Vance based on the Helix University for an update on any progress the Time Agency may have made. He had not requested too much information through his own wrist communicator as its current link to the Tardis made it an unsecure channel.

Lumen had set his Vortex Manipulator to make the small jump to Agent Vance's pokey headquarters and had taken Block with him. He wondered whether the mechanoid would raise any objections to the stop or would naturally defer to his leadership. Block's silence when they arrived suggested the latter which came as a relief to Lumen as he had not relished the thought of trying to exert his authority over the nine foot tall machine. They came to a halt outside of Vance's front door still with its yellow stripes warning of contagion.

"Block, I want you to stay outside but not in plain sight. Can you find a place to conceal yourself while I go in?" said Lumen.

"I have spotted several places which would be suitable," the mechanoid informed him. "Do you wish me to check the premises first?"

Lumen shook his head. "That won't be necessary. I shan't be gone long."

Block immediately moved away into the shadow of the building and Lumen was surprised to find that after only a few seconds, he could no longer see the bulky mechanoid. Apparently, the shiny armour plating employed some sort of camouflage technology that allowed the machine to blend into the background. Lumen turned his attention to the door, went through the series of knocks he had used on his previous visit and stood back to wait. Presently, the door swung open and Juni Vance looked out.

"The procedure is to call in advance if you wish to visit," the woman said irritably.

Lumen spread his hands in apology. "Forgive me, I was in a bit of a hurry, can I come in?"

Juni Vance did not care to continue the conversation on the doorstep so quickly ushered him in and closed the door. Lumen slid carefully inside without touching anything. He remembered her previous comments about the building being under quarantine and had no wish to test whether she had been serious or not. Instead, he stood in the centre of the room and told her without too much embellishment of his part in saving the galaxy. When he had finished, he was somewhat disappointed as she told him he had done no more than his duty and had failed to arrest the delinquent Time Lord.

"But if it wasn't for him," he stammered. "We would all be dead. All of us!"

Vance was not to be deterred. "That's as maybe but he still has crimes to answer for. His role in recent events would naturally be taken into consideration."

Lumen decided that discretion was the better part of valour so changed the subject by asking her if the Agency had any more information on the activities of Dark Life. It was clear that they had siphoned off all of the dark energy from the Darksun crystals before they were deactivated. There was no telling how much power they had accumulated from this or how they intended to use it. The fact that they were ready to allow so many people to die in the resultant supernovas did not speak well of their ambitions. Juni Vance nodded her agreement and set about making her enquiries.

Lumen peered around the dingy quarters as Vance worked and did not care for what he saw. The carpet was a dark, grubby brown while the single piece of upholstered furniture, a three-seater divan, was a mixture of blue and green tufts that undoubtedly concealed traces of mould. Several cupboards had once been painted white but were now chipped and scuffed from long use. The walls were a smoky yellow and numerous strands of dusty cobwebs connected them to the stained ceiling. It was a dump and he could not believe that someone as fastidious as Juni Vance could be resident here.

"This is not my home," said Vance who had looked up from her screen to see Lumen's expression of disgust.

"Of course not," he said quickly. "It is an ingeniously disguised base of operations. Where, in fact, do you live?"

Vance spoke as she worked. "I have a suite at Gelsh Promenade."

"Ah," said Lumen. "One of the high residential towers on the university, no doubt."

"It is an all female commune on Fandrasar, second planet of the sun, Phaedra. We persevere with old technology, grow root vegetables and citrus fruits whilst working on methods to rid the universe of clumsy men," said Juni Vance without irony.

Lumen thought about the Artemis Sisterhood on Earth and offered no opinions save that he owned an old 4D clock and was fond of turnips.


	70. Chapter 72

The time dragged as Agent Vance sent and received her messages. She told him with ill grace that the Time Agency was pleased with his work so far and that his partnership with the Doctor was not ideal but inevitable. Later, she transferred what little new data the Agency had to his wristband memory and shut down her equipment. Lumen thanked her and then made his way to the door following a circuitous route to avoid the nameless lumps and patches that covered the floor. With a final formal salute, he scooted through the exit out into the light and was not displeased to find that it was raining.

"Block, are you there?" he whispered into the crevice into which he lad last seen the mechanoid disappear.

There was no answer from the gloomy alleyway but when a metal finger tapped him on the shoulder, the bending Time Agent bolted upright and released a venomous curse that would have got him two days in a Helix University penitentiary had he been overheard. Despite the machine's tactless approach, Lumen was quite glad to see its gleaming exterior after the murk of Vance's office. He gave its armour plating an affectionate pat and then set the controls of his Vortex Manipulator for Shalinedes and the lair of Widemind.

The only co-ordinates he had for the red veined moon was the site of the Tardis' last visit so no need for a pressure suit or any other breathing apparatus. Environmental conditions inside the AI's corridors had been set many years ago for the construction workers and programmers from the Helix. Upon his arrival, Lumen stood still in the dusty half light to await any reaction from Widemind. There was none. On the whole, he considered this to be a good thing. Block made no comment.

Lumen took some time to run through the new data that Agent Vance had downloaded into his wristband memory but found nothing insightful. The Time Agency monitored many aspects of the time stream but it seemed that Dark Life intrusions provoked no certain conclusions or even inspired speculation. They were like the wind blowing through the trees; their effects, unmistakable, their nature, unknowable.

"I have reviewed the security protocols in this sector," Block reported. "They are formidable except for one pertinent aspect."

Lumen stared at the mechanoid. "What's that?"

"They are turned off. Force fields deactivated. Blue laser wires unpowered. Only back up lighting, air conditioning and low level sensors are functional."

"Is it damaged?" Lumen enquired.

Block's red eyes flared. "No. This area has been shut down except for basic facilities. Considerably more energy output is emanating from deeper inside the complex."

Again, Lumen recalled how on their previous exploration, he, Jocasta and the Doctor had moved towards the core of the inner structure and encountered the damaged hologram that represented Widemind itself. The Time Lord had cured its multiple-personality disorder allowing the AI to function and subsequently aid them in preventing many thousands of star systems collapsing. Its silence now was unnerving and perplexing.

The dark green wall of the corridor seemed even damper and inhospitable than the last time he had ventured down it, possibly because substantially less energy was being diverted to power the lights. Fortunately, Block had a broad beam searchlight which was ably employed to illuminate the passage although the security conscious mechanoid insisted on peering into every crevice often leaving Lumen in the dark.

The journey to the point at which the disturbed hologram had appeared before was uneventful but as they moved towards the crater like depression that completely filled the main chamber, a curious disturbance in the air overhead rippled into view. Lumen watched in horror as a great creature with red and green wings, a dark scaled body and disembowelling teeth swooped down from the inky blackness in a menacing arc. At the last minute, the Time Agent threw himself to the crusty floor to avoid the gleaming talons while Block stood his ground.

"Why didn't you shoot it down?" grunted Lumen as pushed himself up to his knees.

Before the mechanoid could answer, the beast had spun around and launched into another steep dive this time accompanying its approach with a nightmarish scream. Lumen stumbled backwards a few steps and then found himself flat on his back looking up at a black serrated underbelly as the dragon creature sped over him. A ribbed, muscular tail snaked through the air only inches from his face.

"Block!" he yelled at the motionless machine. "Can't you get a shot at it? It's big enough."

"It would do no good," the mechanoid remarked calmly. "However, if it bothers you, I can find a way to deal with it."

Lumen gaped at the machine. "Bothers me? It wants to devour me! You need to get rid of it! Now!"

The Time Agent watched the beast glide through another sharp turn and with a bloodcurdling shriek, commence upon a scything plunge that he could see would angle in on a plane that might leave him no room to escape. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Block taking action but instead of pointing his arsenal of weapons at the attacking dragon, it was moving away from him into a shadowy recess. Lumen could not believe that the machine was fleeing.

There was no time to run. He could not outpace the racing monster, had no means to fight it and could not conceal himself from it. Lumen propped himself up on his elbows and made direct visual contact with the merciless green eyes that were hurtling towards him at unstoppable velocity. His stomach churned with mounting fear but he did not look away. Time Agent Vincent Lumen faced his grisly fate with dread and trepidation but also with resolution. When the great jaws, only a few feet from his tense body, suddenly winked out of existence, Lumen's heart nearly stopped with the shock.

"I have disabled the hologram as requested," said Block, unruffled. "Should we press on? There may be numerous dangers ahead."


	71. Chapter 73

Agent Lumen wiped the sweat from his eyes and glared up into the darkness above. A hologram! He should have guessed. The security mechanoid detected no danger; that should have told him something. Now he felt a fool and even though Block would not be judgemental or even critical, he knew that he would be trying extra hard to make up for the loss of face. One small mercy was that Jocasta had not been present to witness his humiliation. He brushed the dirt from his blue jeans and with a shrug of his shoulders, joined the mechanoid at the edge of the crater.

"The Quark circuits are running on low power here too," Block reported. "Those nodes are anti-tachyon traps which the AI uses in its Hardlight production process but it seems as if all particle collections are being directed to a deeper level of the site."

Lumen gaped at the mechanoid. "I don't mean to be rude but I thought that you were only concerned with security protocols. How do you know all this?"

"I am not entirely certain," Block replied. "When I received my last recharge on board the Tardis, I acquired some additional programs that were not within my usual parameters. I cannot explain it."

"Well, let's not look a gift horse in the mouth. Which way do you suggest we go?" said Lumen.

"Follow me, sir."

Lumen did.

Block moved carefully along a fairly narrow passage that ran around the side of the depression. Despite having robust metal feet to support an extremely substantial frame, the mechanoid trod nimbly on the precarious ledge to reach the far side of the crater without incident. In behind, Lumen found his attention drawn down to the yellow and green nodes that stood up in wiry protuberances like coral. He thought of Jocasta back on board the Tardis and wondered how her life might change now that her sister was back in her life.

Block interrupted the Time Agents musings by abruptly stopping short of an open hatch that led down to the level below. The gap was wide enough to allow entry but the ladder beneath did not look sturdy enough to bear its great weight. Lumen peered down into the gloom and then at Block, shaking his head as he did so.

"How many levels do we have to descend before we come to the main area of activity?" he asked.

"Two," was the machine's terse response.

Lumen nodded. "Then I think that we should find another access point. I don't think that these rungs will support you without breaking."

"While I was disconnecting the dragon hologram, I surveyed the building blueprints. No gravity wells are in operation and only one cargo elevator is powered. All other descent points are like this one; designed for organic bipeds," said Block.

"Then we should use the elevator," said Lumen who thought he had detected a note of disgust in the mechanoid's observations.

"The only functional elevator is some distance away," Block reported. "I would suggest that you might use the ladder here to scout ahead while I utilise the cargo lift. Your reconnaissance would be useful. Unless, of course, you prefer to travel with me."

The implied criticism of his competence might have been overlooked by the Time Agent if it hadn't been for the additional suggestion that he lacked courage for the solo descent. Lumen glared at the red-eyed machine but his outraged expression elicited no response. With several recollections of his own valour poised upon his lips to correct the mechanoid's insinuations, he finally decided that to justify himself under such circumstances was demeaning and so chose to remain silent. He rather sulkily indicated to Block that his wristband was a communicator and that they should maintain contact at all times then descended into the hatchway without a backwards glance.

Lumen heard the heavy thump of the mechanoid's footsteps move away into the corridor beyond. The sound was replaced by an uneasy quiet only disturbed by the distant hum of powerful generators. He reached the bottom of the ladder which was adequately lit by bio-luminescent patches in the ceiling. No sign of any activity in the passageway and no sign of any more vicious looking holograms. Taking in a deep breath, Agent Vincent Lumen pushed on into the unknown.

Apart from keeping an eye out for trouble, Lumen was also alert for any hatches that might allow him access to the next level down. Block had discovered that most of the usable energy had been diverted to that area and although it wasn't clear what Widemind was doing with it, there seemed no other course than to move towards that spot. The AI was not responding to his presence so either it was too busy to notice or it considered him not even a distraction. Lumen was irritated to note that his reputation among machines was apparently less than impressive.

Up ahead, one of the light patches in the ceiling was flickering and as a consequence, the passageway seemed strangely in motion as if it were vibrating to violent footsteps. Lumen slowed down as he approached the section of corridor, the optical illusion of movement being unsettling and disconcerting. He squinted into the flickering shadows ahead and was alarmed to see that not all the anxiety he felt was in the mind. Quite definitely, in amongst the ebbing light and dancing shadows, something solid was advancing towards him.


	72. Chapter 74

Lumen glanced behind him and found that he had only moved a few hundred yards from the hatchway beyond which was a solid wall. He could retreat if necessary, but not far unless he climbed out again completely. More movement from ahead caught his eye but this time something hissed like steam through a pipe. Then he heard a clicking sound that had the hairs alive on the back of his neck. It was the sound of teeth snapping in unnatural jaws.

For a moment, Lumen wished that he had not parted company from the heavily armed mechanoid but with that very thought in mind, the answer came to him. Of course, it was just another hologram put in the way to discourage trespassers or any imported wildlife left behind by the original construction team. Some creatures could flourish anywhere. The Time Agent immediately shook off the feeling of dread that had come over him at the disturbance in front of him and set forth again revived.

It did not take long for his new found confidence to take body blow. He had only taken three more steps when a jet of warm, fetid air struck him full in the face. The stench was of rotting meat and acid burnt metal which, to Lumen's knowledge, was not a feature of photonic constructs. Holograms had no odour, he felt sure. It came as a shock to him that whatever lurked in the uncertain, dim distance not only had rancid breath but had any breath at all.

The urge to flee was strong but the mechanoid's recent slights on his bravery and the AI's casual disregard of his presence had etched deep into the Time Agent's psyche leaving him eager to repair his fractured self-respect. In response to this mood, he stood his ground to await the advance of whatever it was now scratching the metal floor as if it was about to charge. When at last the creature came into view, Lumen knew that his decision not to retreat was ill-conceived.

There were legends of such beasts in the folklore of Mars. Stories that suggested that the terraforming of the red planet had not only brought Earth –like flora to the parched sand and rock but some of its fauna too. Naturally, many animals from the home world had been introduced into a controlled environment to the benefit of all concerned yet tales persisted of burrowing, tunnelling creatures being brought along by mistake at the beginning of the process and mutating under the enforced conditions. Irradiated, chemically cleansed, genetically modified; those that did not die, transformed into titans that fed indiscriminately to survive.

The one facing Lumen now was clearly an outsized arachnid that rustled and rattled its eight thick limbs in uncertain steps as it examined him. Its fangs dripped with paralyzing venom. The spider was probably six feet across including its bulky, black body and outspread legs. It had eight round, red eyes that burned in the dull light and a coating of coarse dark hair flecked with orange. There seemed to be no evidence of any web trailing behind it so Lumen soon arrived at the unsettling conclusion that this fearsome behemoth hunted like a mammal.

There was no choice now but to go back quickly. The great spider levered up and down on its back legs as Lumen retreated but made no move to follow. The Time Agent assumed correctly that its eyesight was not good but within the confines of the corridor, it did not need to be. One headlong plunge forward would allow it to scoop up any prey in its path, thrust it into its foaming jaws and then give it time to scuttle back into whatever burrow it called home. The odour of blood and decay radiated from it in waves.

Lumen adjusted the controls on his wristband as he slowly stepped backwards. He had withdrawn almost to his starting point already. The newly charged batteries would permit several discharges of potent electricity, enough, he hoped, to disable or at least stun the beast. The spider made an exploratory dash forward and Lumen responded by directing a lightning bolt straight into its eyes. The monster immediately reared up like panicked stallion and then crashed down again in agony, the hair on its upper body sparking and smoking like kindling. Yet only seconds later, it had recovered its senses and tensed for another leap.

The Time Agent struck again with another charge of current into the hairy body which actually forced the arachnid back in to a crouch. Its red eyes blazed in anger and pain as it arched its legs up in front of its face like groping antennae. To his dismay, Lumen realised rather too late that two such powerful discharges had depleted his wristband appliance considerably disallowing any use of the Vortex Manipulator. One further piece of bad news confronted him when he found that the hatch through which he had entered was now closed from above.

A hiss like that of a colossal serpent brought his attention firmly back to the corridor where the singed spider was now recovering from its initial shock. Slowly, it shuffled forward, careful now of further wounding flashes, until it was only ten feet away from the end of the passage where Lumen stood stoically tapping his wristband. The display indicated that only one more jolt could be administered before the charge was spent. He stared hard at the eight smouldering crimson eyes and searched for even a glimmer of mercy there. He found none.

The spider twitched as it poised for its final leap. Purple blood oozed from a number of wounds about its head but it showed no sign of weakness or fatigue. A cackle that sound uncannily like human laughter rippled through its frothing jaws as it edged its bloated frame nearer. The smell of burnt flesh and putrid breath made Lumen's head spin still he prepared his electric pulse for one final and hopefully fatal shock. Before he had the chance to activate the device, the giant arachnid let out a deafening, mournful shriek and once more reared back.

In a matter of moments, the entire passageway was engulfed in a foul-smelling, acrid smoke that had Lumen flat out on the floor gasping for the heavier air. Sparks and flames crackled above his head as more anguished bellows echoed through the confined space. The spider thrashed and rolled in its torment, unable to turn or thrust forward as its hind legs crumbled in ashes. The destruction did not stop there. Fire spread across its body in merciless waves until all that remained of the immense creature was a scattered heap of gray dust and black powder.

Lumen slowly removed his hands from his head and peered up through half-blinded eyes into the dissipating smoke. From behind where the black spider had once stood, a figure emerged to stand above the choking Time Agent, holding out a strong hand for him to grasp and raise himself. Lumen accepted the help gratefully and scrambled upright to greet his saviour.

"I have managed to resolve your bug problem," said Block nonchalantly. "Still, I must urge caution. Other perils await so we must be vigilant."


	73. Chapter 75

Not for the first time, Agent Lumen found himself lost for words in the mechanoid's presence. He had encountered quite a few mechanised security personnel in the past and found them to be humourless, unimaginative and essentially dull. Just as they were programmed to be by equally dour security planners. Block, however, seemed to have mastered the mix of merciless weapon of mass destruction and deadpan delivery. They set off together down the corridor in companionable silence until they reached a set of silver doors.

"The cargo elevator will take us down to the sub-basement level. There is a functioning power link inside through which you can recharge your Vortex Manipulator. I also think it might be advantageous if you were to have this," said Block.

Lumen watched with interest as a compartment in the machine's torso opened up to reveal the grip of a projectile hand gun. Before he could protest his dislike of firearms and the Time Agency's lukewarm attitude towards their use, the weapon was thrust forward by way of a spring loaded mechanism to land squarely in his open palm. The metal felt surprisingly cool in his hand. The knurled grip was soothing and comforting; the weight a reassuring presence. He hefted it like a natural, maintaining a balanced stance as he grazed his finger across the trigger.

Block stretched out a gleaming hand. "It would be inadvisable to discharge the weapon in the elevator, sir. Ricochets can be dangerous at close quarters."

Lumen wasn't listening. He was holding the gun in his hand as if he had been wielding it all of his life. It felt familiar, almost intimate and he could not imagine why he had not carried one before. Certainly, he knew the damage one could inflict and the Agency often referred to Captain Harkness' exploits to confirm that notion but it was becoming abundantly clear that when working with the Doctor, danger was never very far away.

The elevator descended one level and then came to halt smoothly. The doors hissed open and Lumen found himself pointing his new gun through the opening. No man or monster confronted them but the noise and vibration of energy consumption rose from somewhere up ahead where the lights were brightest. Block and Lumen moved stealthily out into the half-lit passage, the Time Agent with his gun held out at arm's length, the mechanoid now bristling with a range of cannons exposed.

Lumen reached the entrance to the illuminated area and cautiously peeked around a pillar. What he saw made him suck in his breath and then tuck his head back out of sight. The chamber beyond held several startling things in its cavernous depths including a number of impressive pieces of technology that he did not pretend to recognise but could appreciate their sophistication. At one end of the room, a colossal generator throbbed like a planet's heart as it poured out energy through a series of Quark circuits.

Hardlights moved purposefully in all directions. Mechanoids carried loads of unidentifiable materials but no organic species contributed to the operation. Lumen took all this in after a second look but despite the level of industry and the complexity of the equipment, what stood in the centre of the chamber under the floodlights was the most surprising thing of all. Block moved silently up beside him and spoke in a low voice.

"Do not be fooled, sir. It is not what it appears to be."

Lumen shook his head. "But it's the Tardis, Block. The Doctor must be here somewhere."

The blue box stood vibrant under the heavy lights. Its sleek lines seemed almost new, more rounded and if anything more robust. The panels gleamed with a vitality more associated with a living thing and the flashing light upon the roof pulsed its beam around the room like a beating heart. Maybe it was a trick of the light but the Tardis gave the impression of being reinvigorated; perhaps even reborn.

"We must find the Doctor," whispered Lumen. "He may be in trouble."

"He might well be in trouble, sir, but not here. That is not the Doctor's Tardis," said Block.

"Then what is it?"

"It is a Battle Tardis. A military version of the one you know. The Time Lords used them in the Last Time War. Millions of them were destroyed."

Lumen looked up at the mechanoid. "What is one doing here?"

"It is Widemind's construction but with something more. The AI has built a hardlight Battle Tardis from the specifications found on the Doctor's own Tardis yet there is technology at work here that is mysterious, maybe even impossible."

The Time Agent had given up speculating upon how Block came to his conclusions. He knew instinctively that the information was accurate but what was not so clear was how to interpret it. A Battle Tardis made of light? Widemind must have stolen the schematics during its link with the Tardis but what did it hope to achieve by this creation? While he was churning all this over in its mind, a hologram flickered into life right in front of him. It wasn't a copy of the image that had accompanied him during his adventures on Earth. This was something else altogether.

"Time Agent Lumen, how nice to see you again," said the hologram."And, of course, Block. Please follow me."

Lumen watched the Hardlight move away into the adjacent chamber. It was not a surprise to find that the AI was aware of their presence; it was after all, why they had visited Shalinedes. He glanced up at Block but the big machine was impassive and unusually silent. There seemed nothing for it but to do as they were told and enter the large room. In a few steps, he was behind the hologram and proceeding towards the pristine Battle Tardis.

The hologram moved purposefully across the floor until coming to a halt in front of the blue box. With a wave of its hand, the double doors opened and Lumen was able to see inside. Ironically, he was shocked to find that its internal dimensions were completely in proportion to its outward appearance. When the hologram stepped inside, Lumen followed and whether it was from relief or surprise, he could not help but laugh out loud.

"It's just a box!" he chortled as he turned slowly through three hundred and sixty degrees to find only four blank walls.

"What did you expect?" asked the Hardlight airily.

Lumen looked mystified. "Well, a bit more room, quite frankly."


	74. Chapter 76

"Come inside, Block. There is just enough space for you," the hologram called out to the mechanoid which had halted at the door.

In slow, deliberate steps, Block edged inside the blue box and stood still without comment. Lumen couldn't guess as to its mood, if it had one, but the dry remarks of earlier had, well, dried up. Moving his attention back to the Tardis, he noticed that only a single piece of technology in the shape of a waist high metallic cylinder stood in the centre of the space. He ran his hand over the smooth, shiny surface but detected no reaction to his touch.

The hologram raised its hand once again and the doors quietly closed. Light shone from all six sides creating the illusion of expansion albeit nowhere near that of the original. Lumen was about to ask what the purpose of such a construct might be when he found his arms pinned to his side by the Hardlight which had slipped around behind him. He struggled to free himself but the grip was firm without being harmful. Another hologram materialised in the small space and addressed itself to the giant mechanoid.

"You have, no doubt, assessed the situation and realised that an organic body is no match for hard light. The Time Agent would easily be crushed in his current position. Please reply if you understand," said Widemind.

"I understand," said Block.

"What I require is that you place your hand on top of the metal cylinder that you see in front of you. Do this immediately and not only will you be spared instant destruction but Agent Lumen will also survive the day. I'm sure your programming is still governed by the ridiculous conceit that no organic can come to harm by your inaction."

Block did not answer but placed his hand where directed. The column that rose up from the floor to meet the touch quickly took on a glow of warm crimson that soon darkened to a deep purple. Tendrils of violet light streaked to all corners of the box which to Lumen's unprotected eyes, seemed to lose cohesion as it warped and weaved. The mild background hum soon rose to throbbing roar that made him think of the sound the Tardis' engines made when in flux. Eventually, the sensory overload became too much and he slumped unconscious into the arms of the restraining hologram.

The Hardlight laid Lumen's inert form down on the floor and then vanished in a twinkle of energy. The remaining hologram stayed to monitor Block's movements as the transformation of the Battle Tardis took place around them. Somehow, Widemind had deduced that the mechanoid, newly infused with energy from the Tardis as well as the Deep Time Wand, could be used as a conduit to the technology of the Time Lords. Through Block, what was once a blue box made of hard light became a wonder of the modern universe.

An hour passed before Lumen came awake. He was lying on a plain bunk in a white-walled room that gave no indication of his location or his condition. He patted himself down but found no injuries and if it hadn't been for the ache in his head, he might easily have just woken up from a restless sleep. Gingerly, he got to his feet and moved towards the room's only door. It was locked and no one came when he rapped furiously on its unyielding surface.

Disconsolate, he returned to his bed to inspect his wristband. It occurred to him that while he had been admiring his new gun in the elevator, he had completely forgotten to recharge the device. Now the weapon had been confiscated and his Vortex Manipulator was inoperative. All in all, he considered, not his best day. As he sat down to rue his misfortune, a voice reached him from hidden speakers which raised his hopes.

"Agent Lumen? Can you hear me?"

"Yes! Block, where are you?" Lumen almost shouted.

"It's a little difficult to explain."

"Try!"

The mechanoid tried.

Block told him how the AI had used his unique connection to transfer Tardis technology to the blue box they had discovered beneath Widemind's complex. The pristine Battle Tardis was now primed for travel in time and relative dimensions in space although the Rassilon Imprimatur had still to be arranged. Lumen was a prisoner in one dimension or another while Block was still linked to the Battle Tardis and was currently piloting it towards a rendezvous with the Doctor on Mars.

"Does the Doctor know of this?" asked Lumen.

"Hard to say. He may know that data was stolen and how it was done which would indicate that he is aware of my presence here and by inference, your own."

"Can you get me out of here?"

"Not at the moment but I can provide you with a power socket. I did notice that you failed to recharge your wristband when the opportunity presented itself."

Lumen took the rebuke well and watched as a panel in the wall revealed itself. Immediately, he set about restoring his Vortex Manipulator to full power. When he had it connected and charging, he sat back down on the bed to consider Block's news and what it all meant. Widemind had created its own Tardis? Why? Could a Tardis constructed from light really perform like a real one? What was this Rassilon thing all about? Another aspect of any partnership with the Doctor was the amount of time spent asking one's self endless questions. Just once, he decided, he would like to come up with some answers.


	75. Chapter 77

Block spoke again. "I have been able to examine some of the workings of this ship of light. The AI has developed systems well in advance of many in this time but there is something else that has been installed which is only barely compatible with the rest. I believe that Widemind may have made contact with the creatures that you call Dark Life."

"What!" Lumen gasped. "But the AI was instrumental in stopping the suns exploding. We prevented them from converting solar energy into its dark form."

There was a silence before Block continued. "The galaxy's suns were saved, it's true, but the dark energy converted by the Darksun crystals had already been siphoned off. Whatever their reasons were for initiating this conversion, our intervention has not thwarted them. They have what they wanted but for what purpose, maybe only Widemind knows."

The Time Agent jumped to his feet. "Then we have to find out. We have to get the AI to tell us."

More silence followed and this time Block had no more to say.

As the hours passed, Lumen found that solitary confinement was not without its comforts. The entrance to a bathroom facility became apparent quite early followed by the arrival of a range of exotic food and drink through an aperture in the wall. He wondered how exactly the ingredients were produced on a ship composed entire of photons but the smell and ultimately the taste of the fare soon set aside his fears. He kept up his strength by consuming all on show besides the flagon of Starbuster Ale which he had sampled once before and had lived to regret it.

Even without the influence of the ale, Lumen's thoughts were dull and had not progressed beyond the questions he had set himself earlier. To his further annoyance, the now fully functional Vortex Manipulator would not engage probably due to some dampening field at work in the room. The wristband communicator was not communicating but he was able to access the device's memory and as a result, the data fed in by Agent Vance. Settling back on the bed, Time Agent Vincent Lumen applied himself to study.

The information was meagre and little more than he already knew. Dark Life was mostly a theoretical extension of the existence of dark energy and dark matter. Their effect on the time stream was traceable but few conclusions could be reached from the intrusion. Books had been written, papers had been published but any real profile had yet to be attempted and any measurable or quantifiable terms had not yet been created. The Doctor's brief and uninformative meeting with the silver ship seemed to be the only real evidence of their actual existence.

Lumen thought about that for a moment. The Doctor had accepted his identification of the lightship as a construct of Dark Life without argument or derision. He had nodded sagely when Lumen explained that the Agency's knowledge of the phenomenon was slim other than the misuse of the Darksun crystals for purposes unknown. The Time Lord, he decided, knew more than he was telling. Lumen was not surprised. It seemed that what the Doctor knew and what he told were quite often inversely proportional.

"Attention, Agent Lumen!" came Block's voice again from the ether.

"I'm here, Block. Tell me what is going on. I'm going out of my mind sat here," said Lumen desperately.

"We are approaching Mars but I have not been allowed to notify the Doctor. As yet, our reasons for being here have not been divulged. The door to your room is now open. Follow the green wall lights to reach the Console Room."

Lumen leaped up from his bunk and went to try the door which slid open to his touch. In the corridor, he found green rectangles every twenty feet along the wall; a trail he followed until he reached the Console Room. There was no sign of any holograms but the nine foot tall mechanoid was standing against a panel of controls, its red eyes intent upon a screen. Lumen took the new dimensions of the blue box in his stride and moved to stand beside Block who had greeted his presence with a nod.

"What's happening?" asked Lumen.

Block pressed a blue button and then spoke. "I have been instructed to prepare a Zero Room. A passenger will be transported aboard who will apparently be in need of its healing facilities."

"That's what Drax was using on the Doctor's Tardis, wasn't it? Could it be him who is coming here?"

"I have been given no information regarding this. However, Widemind has not restricted my access into its programs so I have been examining some of its memory logs as well as the strange technology," said Block.

The Time Agent tensed. "What did you find out?"

"The AI has been searching the galaxy for some time, looking for Dark Life which it had reasoned must exist somewhere. Rather like the Doctor, Widemind located a silver ship at the heart of nearby sun as it reprogrammed the Darksun crystal. Contact was made. A deal was done. For its part, the AI received technology to build this Battle Tardis and make it receptive to the results of Time Lord dimensional physics."

"And what did Widemind have to supply in return?"

Block stopped what he was doing and turned to Lumen. "Widemind plundered the Doctor's database on board the Tardis and retrieved certain information. Dark Life had told him to find the exact location of the Time-lock."

"I don't understand. What is the Time-lock?" said Lumen with a frown.

"This particular one is a device to prevent all outside forces from entering or affecting the events of the Time War," Block told him.

Lumen spread his hands. "I'm still not getting it."

"The Last Great Time War was fought between some of the mightiest forces in the history of the universe. The Time Lords as well as the Daleks were all but obliterated. Other monstrous beings were also involved although little is known of their nature. The Time-lock is in place to stop beings capable of time travel from entering this conflict."

"Why would anyone want to?"

Block returned to his control panel and continued working. "As to that, I cannot say. But I believe that Dark Life have accumulated a vast amount of dark energy to attempt that very thing."

"We have to tell the Doctor," Lumen shouted as he frantically inspected the condition of his wristband.

"The AI will not allow you to leave until the passenger is on board. And perhaps not even then," said Block ominously.

Lumen turned away and walked towards the doors of the Tardis where he stood with his back to the mechanoid. With his right hand, he depressed two buttons on his wristband and kept them held down. Through his fingers, he felt a tiny vibration which told him that the device was successfully transmitting. Widemind may be confident in its ability to make the Battle Tardis secure but the Time Agency did not issue equipment that was easily thwarted.

In only a few seconds, he had sent the recording he had made of Block's most recent revelations directly to the Doctor whom he hoped would be monitoring his messages. Lumen smiled grimly. He might not be able to get away himself but at least the Doctor now had the information he needed. Would he be shocked by the Dark Life's plan? Would he be startled at the AI's betrayal? Probably not, he mused, or if he was, he wouldn't admit it.

The Time Agent shrugged and moved back into the centre of the Console Room to await developments. At last, the mission he had been sent out on was beginning to take shape. Despite Agent Juni Vance's assertion that he had been derelict in his duty by not bringing the notorious Doctor into custody, it seemed clear to him now that only by sticking to the Time Lord closely would he even get near to the centre of the mystery. Although, he contemplated morosely, that centre sounded like the most dangerous place in the universe.


	76. Chapter 78

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**PART 2**

**CHAPTER 10**

Drax had never visited Mars before. Not because he disliked the indigenous population's unusual habit of crowding into insular urban clumps leaving the rest of the planet untended and unloved. Nor, like some, did he resent its loss of identity to the terraforming talons that had raked across its surface. True, he was not fond of crowds or the metropolitan claustrophobia that pinched him as walked between looming towers but in the main, he liked people although, he believed, they did not like him.

Despite being a scientist by nature, what he really enjoyed was the feeling of freedom provided by the open spaces and bucolic charm of less developed societies. In a peculiar sense, he liked the thought of many people, diverse and individual personalities, all having the room to express themselves but not evolving too quickly into a thinking, reasoning unit and becoming victims of their own success. Utopia for Drax was a place where he could follow a solitary path but not be alone doing it.

Sophia Gold's company was about as close as he could get to that dream. She made few demands of his time, spoke unselfconsciously about her anxieties and encouraged him to do the same. Ordinarily, he might only speak to another Time Lord of his deepest fears but conversations of that nature were few and far between and this girl somehow drew from him avuncular and compassionate responses that he had never before in his long life experienced. Drax found himself revealing secrets about his past that he might not have told even to the Doctor.

Although he had not visited Capital City before, Drax found it to be little different to other busy centres of civilisation. Skyscrapers dedicated to commerce and corporate empire stretched up and across his line of sight while slim thoroughfares, alive with contributors to that cause, traced their outline. All seemed clean, competent and organised. Even the shiny red Gravcab that arrived less than a minute after he transmitted the appropriate signal from the sonic screwdriver was a model of energetic efficiency.

When Drax and Sophia were settled inside, the sprightly machine sprang into the air and set off at a lively pace towards the co-ordinates previously requested by this account. Sophia suggested that landing in a concealed spot near to their destination might help to preserve the element of surprise. Drax nodded and set about studying a map of the area provided by the taxi's onboard system. While he was absorbed in his orientation, Sophia set about the task of linking her inexperienced mind to her sister's by telepathic broadcast.

During her time with the Artemis Sisterhood, she had tried on numerous occasions to locate Jocasta and make contact. Sometimes, she thought she had succeeded when her older sister's thoughts seemed clear and accessible but just as the bond verged on adhesion, the mists of rejection clouded the image and eventually shut it off. Sophia had always wondered whether Jocasta had genuinely been unable to maintain the link or if she consciously chose to rebuff it. This time, she thought moodily, she might find out.

With her eyes closed, Sophia concentrated on the mental picture of Jocasta which she had recently been able to update. She reached out with her mind into the grey ether which she had little practice in navigating except when her Dark Life mentors helped her focus. Much to her surprise, the contact was immediate and sharp with no hazy shadows impeding her view. Instantly, the thoughts and memories of Jocasta Gold became open to her and it was all she could do to not to immerse herself completely in their inviting warmth.

"_Jocasta!"_ she tried in what she hoped was a non-alarming mental whisper.

"Who's there?" her sister shouted as she jumped to her feet and paced the long cellar in which she had been incarcerated.

"_Don't cry out. It's me, Sophia. I am contacting you by a telepathic link. Don't be afraid, it's just something I learned to do."_

Jocasta put her hands to her head and spoke aloud. "Where are you?"

"_You do not need to speak, Jocasta. Just think what you want to say. It takes a little getting used to but I know you can do it."_

Jocasta was still moving around her prison in agitated steps. The time had passed slowly since she had become separated from the Doctor and when she had unsuccessfully investigated the most obvious avenues of escape, she had sat down to conserve her energy and think. Thoughts of her sister had certainly passed through her mind especially the circumstances of her disappearance and her subsequent unexpected re-emergence on Earth but the last thing she had expected was a voice in her head telling her what to do.

"_Jocasta, I need you to listen. I know it's hard at the moment but it really is me. Drax and I are coming to get you out. The Doctor is back on the Tardis with Fless. He cannot leave so you have to believe in me. Can you do that?"_

Jocasta thought and spoke. "Yes, I can do that. I'm sorry, I haven't got used to this not speaking thing yet"

"_That's alright. You don't need to speak yet because we have only just touched down at the back of the house. I will contact you again when we are closer."_

"Wait!" Jocasta cried out. "The garden at the back is full of deadly plants and who knows what else. Fless has guards with huge dogs patrolling the grounds and the doors have complex alarms."

"_Thank you, sister. Wait for my call."_


	77. Chapter 79

Sophia informed Drax what Jocasta had just told her and the Time Lord shrugged his acceptance. He knew that the likelihood of their just walking in and extracting the girl had been a forlorn hope and that any number of severe obstacles would stand in their way. It had always been the same, he mused. The Doctor sitting back in the safety of the Tardis while he, Drax, recently regenerated and damaged in unspeakable ways, danced the dangerous path with death at every turn.

"I think that I can get us in," announced Sophia.

"Wait while I instruct this taxi to wait for us. I doubt we will find one when we leave with heat discharges and projectiles flying about our heads," he said sourly.

Sophia made her way into the lane which ran down one side of the large house. From her position, she could see the front of the property was a creatively teased lawn bisected by a gravel drive boasting channels of shallow blue water running either side. Occasionally, aquatic creatures would leap from one stream to the other in twinkling arcs bearing rows of needle sharp teeth as they jumped. Further away, shadows moved furtively through the trees while the undergrowth shook to nameless intrusions.

Drax moved to her side and surveyed the scene. It seemed that no part of the grounds was safe especially to a trespasser and Jocasta would face the same problems should she escape. After a few minutes of keen scrutiny, Sophia edged her way along the stone wall that ran parallel to the lane and took up a stance behind a thick pillar that hid her from the house. She could see the jungle of strangling, toxic, devouring plants as well as the security personnel that walked its borders. Here was the place to conduct her experiment.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Drax, noticing her expression.

Sophia spoke without turning. "We can't go through the front; there are just too many unpleasant creatures in residence. It's not a good idea to try the garden for obvious reasons so that leaves the side door."

"But the guards will see us," said Drax.

"Yes, they will. Are you ready?" said Sophia.

Drax didn't know what he should be ready for but the girl's confidence was infectious. He managed an encouraging smile when she turned to seek his support but his mind was working overtime on a plan to gain access if whatever she had in mind failed. In his life, he had found humans to be either hopeful or hopeless and as much as he admired this girl, experience told him that her idea would at best be optimistic and at worst, suicidal. Fortunately, Sophia Gold was no ordinary human.

Before Drax could stop her, Sophia effortlessly pulled herself up on to the top of the wall and then slid down the other side. Drax quickly hauled himself after her and within seconds, found himself standing next to her on a patch of closely manicured lawn in plain sight of the guards, their dogs and the swarms of airborne surveillance devices buzzing around the house. Sophia held up a hand to discourage any interruption as she concentrated hard upon what she was doing. She took a hesitant step forward, then another, then one more until, to Drax's astonishment, nothing happened.

The security guards continued on their set routes without even looking in their direction. The dogs snuffled and whined for a while and one attempted to break from its leash to rush towards them but the handler soon had it under control, hauling its bulk back on course to resume their patrol. The miniature flying eyes were a different proposition as they reacted to movement or heat or both. Nevertheless, they were only a problem if the humans seeing what they saw reacted aggressively. They didn't.

"They see us, Drax," said Sophia through tight lips. "But I'm inside their minds. They do not consider us a threat. We can go through the French doors. I can get someone to let us in."

Drax stared at the girl. "You can do all this? With your mind?"

"Yep, but it's a bit of a strain. We need to find Jocasta fast," she gasped.

Drax found the double doors open when he tried the handle. He glanced back over his shoulder to check for signs they had been detected but all was quiet in the garden. Sophia squeezed in front of him and entered the room in which her sister and the Doctor had stood earlier. Its quiet treasures did not distract her from her task. No one confronted them; no one even knew they were there. Whoever was monitoring security had been coerced into deactivating all relevant alarm systems, even the one that was due to go off if all relevant alarm systems were deactivated.

"I have to speak to Jocasta; to find out where she is. We need to get out of sight while I do this. I'm not sure how many balls I can keep in the air at once," said Sophia.

Drax took a quick look at the empty space above her head and decided that she was employing a quaint turn of phrase instead of demonstrating some new feat of telekinetic prowess. In any event, moving away from the doors and windows seemed to be a wise move although hiding in the shadows probably would not prove to be much use if Sophia failed to maintain her telepathic control. He looked at the girl out of the corner of his eye but aside from a drop of perspiration on her forehead, he could detect no signs of stress.

"_Jocasta! It's me again. Do you know where you are? What level you are on?"_

"I'm in the wine cellar!" her sister shouted and then clamped her hand over mouth in frustration. Would she never get the not speaking thing right?

"_We're coming. Get ready."_

Jocasta was already waiting at the door. "They took me down two flights of steps then it's a left at the bottom. Third door along, there's a guard outside."

"_Alright. Here is what we are going to do. The guard will unlock the door. When he does, lock him in and move towards the stairs. I know you have questions but you have to trust me."_

Jocasta did not reply. This was her little sister talking. Her little sister walking into the lair of a maniac with his soldiers, his monstrous plants and his grandiose delusions. How she had got this far was astounding. She wanted to call out to her. Ask her to be careful if that wasn't a redundant request. When a key turned in the lock and the door creaked open, there was no more time for reflection; it was time to go.

The guard made no aggressive moves when he opened up the wine cellar. In fact, his docile attitude to her gentle nudges and his casual acquiescence when she prompted him to sit down on a barrel in the musty gloom made her suspicious of deception. Still he made no protest when she took his keys and uttered no sound as she locked him inside the room. Even the confiscation of his projectile weapon elicited no response. The submission was unnatural. Jocasta could not repress the chilling contemplation of what her sister had become and immediately regretted the transmission of the thought.

"_Don't worry, sister. I'm on your side."_


	78. Chapter 80

The passageway to the stairwell was well lit and empty. Jocasta ran its length and then up the first staircase to come to an abrupt halt as two figures stepped down from above. She took a second to regard Drax who returned her look with a faint smile and then focussed all her attention on the girl who she thought had been lost; thought was dead. They stood stiffly, facing one another for a moment or two then ran forward to clutch each other in a tight embrace. Neither one spoke, neither one cried. They just held on.

"_I've missed you, Jocasta."_

"_I've missed you too. Hey! I did it!"_

The girls laughed out loud and clasped hands.

"We should get moving," said Drax softly.

The sisters let go and stepped back from each other. Now the link had been established in their minds, the desire to make physical contact diminished. The psychic bond felt like an all encompassing warm blanket anyway or perhaps more like the soothing comfort that settles over mind and body after taking a draught of strong drink. It was a heady, invigorating experience for the novice that Jocasta certainly was when it came to such metaphysical connections but more of a relief for Sophia who was rapidly becoming an expert.

Back on the ground floor again, Drax checked the corridors for guards. He watched two pass by his position and thought that there was something different about their demeanour. More alert, possibly, as if the effects of Sophia's coercion was slowly wearing off. Confirmation of this new state of affairs came when a shrill alarm rang through the house like a train whistle. He felt the two sisters peering out from behind him but he nudged them back as another security man appeared at the end of the passage.

"Keep back," he whispered over his shoulder. "They know there are intruders in the house. It's only a matter of time before they get here. Sophia, can you hide us?"

The girl rubbed her eyes. "I need some time. The strain of keeping all these prying eyes off us is oppressive. Do you think we could hole up somewhere while I rest?"

Jocasta looked at Drax and then at her sister who appeared pale and drawn. She indicated that the best chance might lie behind them; specifically on the floor below where she had noticed a long corridor ending in a single door. Drax nodded his agreement and led the way while Jocasta helped her sister who had succumbed worryingly to a bout of extreme fatigue. All three of them hustled along the passageway which was lit from above by subdued lighting augmented by flashing red pads that pulsed in harmony with the shrieking alarm. The door at the end was tall and sturdy and looked to Drax as if it was unlikely to give way to force.

"Try these," said Jocasta, handing over the set of keys she had taken from the guard who now sat solemnly in the wine cellar.

Drax accepted the unexpected gift and with a chuckle, set about finding the correct key for the lock in front of him. There were eleven keys on the ring and as luck would have it, the tenth one he tried opened the door. He ushered the two girls through and then locked the portal again from the other side. The throbbing siren receded to a remote chime. No red lights flickered here and only the dimmest of illumination shone from overhead. The passage stretched away into the distance which was indeterminate in the shallow glow.

"Rest here while I check up ahead," Drax instructed.

The order was received gratefully and Sophia sank to the floor with her head in her hands. Jocasta passed her projectile weapon to Drax and then knelt down beside her sister but had no refreshment to offer only reassuring thoughts. She watched the rangy Time Lord stride away into the dull light and wondered if he was as resourceful as the Doctor and could find them a way out of this horrible house. Sophia leaned against her and recovered a little strength as they sat waiting for Drax to return.

"_Jocasta, I have an idea."_

"_I know, and I think it will work. Let's practice until Drax comes back."_

After several minutes, Drax appeared from the murky depths of the passage with good news and bad. It seemed that the corridor was actually a tunnel that had been dug out by the house's original owner as an escape route, presumably to avoid apprehension for illegal practices. The passageway was dry, well maintained and apparently devoid of organic menace. No doubt, Amos Fless had recognised the value of such an egress and kept it functional for similar reasons to his predecessor.

Drax had walked only for a few minutes before turning back. He had seen that the tunnel extended for about a hundred and fifty yards before angling upwards to meet the surface at some unspecified point. The knowledge that they weren't trapped and could reach daylight again soon was encouraging. However, what were less inviting were the conditions into which they might emerge if following this course. Jocasta in particular had no wish to visit the exotic gardens of Amos Fless for a second time.

"Sophia has instructed me as to the construction of the mind shield," said Jocasta. "I can help her hold it together but it will only distract onlookers, we will not be invisible."

Drax helped Sophia to her feet. "If you can manage it, I recommend that we find out where this tunnel leads and then work out how much cover we will need. Maybe we will get lucky and come out right next to the waiting taxi."

Drax hadn't intended it to be funny but both girls laughed at his optimism. They felt heartened by his enthusiastic attitude; a condition that added energy to their tired feet. When they heard the door which they had locked rattle to pressure exerted from the other side, they picked up their pace and ventured further down the passage, away from the commotion. It seemed that no second set of keys was available to their pursuers as soon, the smell of melting metal reached them from their rear. As the path inclined upwards beneath their feet, it became easier to see what was ahead.

"Is that sunlight?" asked Sophia hopefully.

"Yes, I think so," replied Jocasta, recognising her sister's choice to vocalise her enquiry for Drax's benefit.

At the end of the tunnel was an iron barred gate secured by an electronic lock. Jocasta knew that her stolen keys would not be any use passing this obstacle and started looking around for something that might be used to force it open. Sophia was staring at Drax with a puzzled expression which, when he caught sight of it, had him baffled too.

"Sophia, what's the matter?" he said with concern.

"Why don't you open the gate?" the girl asked.

Drax shrugged. "It has a password activated lock. The keys are useless."

"Pardon my ignorance but don't you have a sonic screwdriver in your pocket?" she said, pointing at his jacket.

Jocasta turned to look at the Time Lord who was standing up very straight with his eyes wide. His lips had contracted into a small "O" and a significant blush was spreading from his cheeks to his neck. At first, he could make no sound other than an embarrassed squeak but then, as he clapped his palm to his forehead in exasperation, he let out a long groan.

"Of course!" he spluttered. "I completely forgot. It's been so long since I had one of my own to turn to that I failed to even think of it. I can't believe I was so stupid."

"I can!" snapped Sophia with good humour. "Now stop talking and get this gate open."


	79. Chapter 81

The sophisticated lock yielded immediately to the intrusion of the sonic signal and soon all three of them had passed through, remembering to carefully close the gate behind them. Perhaps the guards hadn't got the pass code either with Fless not on the premises. In a few steps they were in the open again and revelling in the replenishing rays of an unclouded sun. Sophia and Jocasta combined to erect the mind shield to protect them from surveillance but for the time being, no observer was visible.

"Where are we?" Sophia asked of nobody in particular.

"Not in the garden of Martian delights," Jocasta remarked with relief.

Drax looked back at the gate and noted it was disguised by a holographic display of a round bush. Other such shrubs were nearby along with a selection of medium sized trees which had thick upper foliage preventing the trio from being spotted from above but slender trunks which provided little cover on the ground. Underfoot, the grass was slightly damp but no tendrils or vines broke through the loose soil to threaten them. Under normal conditions, such a leafy arbour might be a pleasant place to spend a sunny afternoon.

The sound of angry dogs barking in the distance brought them all up into a state of alert. Neither sister was sure if their fragile shield would mask them from the heightened canine senses and it seemed folly to wait around to test their doubts. Drax led them deeper into the trees trying desperately to remember the details of the map he had studied in the little Gravcab. He felt certain that their present direction was taking them away from the Fless house but towards what, he was not so sure.

A slight breeze whispered through the branches overhead as they moved beneath. Instead of becoming denser as they progressed, the trees started to thin out until the gaps between them became wide enough to cause spaces to appear in the canopy above. Around the base of each trunk sprang clusters of white blooms that swayed elegantly in the dry air. Jocasta noted that their perfume reminded her of days spent on the grassy cliffs overlooking the blueness of Lagoon. Even the birdsong seemed lighter and carefree.

If electronic spies were in the vicinity then their position was now vulnerable to short range scans. Jocasta grabbed Sophia's hand to reinforce their link but the younger girl had weakened visibly in the late afternoon warmth. The air was humid beneath the trees and the musty aromas that swirled about them made breathing laborious and walking an impossibility. Sophia slumped against her sister's shoulder and the two of them ground to a halt.

"Drax, we have to rest for a minute," Jocasta called out.

The Time Lord himself was still suffering from the effects of his aberrant regeneration and was not totally averse to the idea of rest; only of having to stop to do so. He watched as the two women sat down at the base of a tree, one lying on the other's shoulder. There seemed to be no realistic alternative. The mental effort required to sustain a psychic screen undoubtedly had a physical toll as well. He squinted back through the trees and the shafts of dusty light that fell between them but no nemesis thrust its ugly head forward. With a sigh, Drax slid to the ground amidst the white flowers and took his ease.

"We had to drop the shield," said Sophia softly.

"If we can just keep out of sight for a few minutes then we can regroup," Jocasta explained with a yawn. "Neither of us is used to the demands of such an exercise."

The wind rustled the treetops once again causing the branches to creak like the timbers of an ancient galleon. Parched leaves spiralled in twisting eddies about the glade where they sat; all of which helped to calm the three of them to the point of drowsy surrender. The threat of Fless and his formidable henchmen faded into an afternoon daze of Lotus scented gusts and torpid dreams. Drax settled up against the flaking bark of his comfortable trunk and closed his eyes. The White Lotus, invigorated by the balmy Martian afternoon, emitted its fumes until the cool draughts of sunset closed their petals for the night.

"Drax! Wake up!" hissed Sophia as she shook the lapels of his jacket.

The Time Lord came instantly awake to darkness. "What? What's wrong?"

"What's wrong is that we all fell asleep and now it's night!" Jocasta gasped. "Those plants are Martian Lotus Blossoms. They give off a soporific gas to snare prey. If we had been rabbits, we would be dead."

Drax heard the fear in her voice and knew it had nothing to do with the fate of rabbits. The moonlight was now piercing the forest with silver spears that served not as revealing shafts of illumination but propagators of sinister shadows in every direction. All was different in the dark and not for the better. An owl hooted in the branches above him but the responding growls and snarls to its call were not encouraging.

"What about the taxi?" asked Sophia. "Will it still be waiting? Maybe we can get it to pick us up."

Drax shook his head. "The cab won't land off road unless it is following preset co-ordinates. We don't know where we are so even if I use the Sonic, it won't land. What about you two? Do you have the mind shield in place?"

Both girls nodded but even in the cold moonlight, their nervous expressions were plain to see. Another bloodcurdling howl broke the stillness and once again, all three questioned the effectiveness of their defence against the feral denizens of the forest. As one they agreed that waiting around in the hungry darkness was not productive yet upon rising were uncertain as to which way to go.

Drax held the Sonic up to get a bearing on the taxi. East, he thought grimly. Right into the jaws of whatever was howling at the moon. When he pointed out the direction to his friends, they peered timidly into a darkness made thicker by the trees and trembled. In the absence of the White Lotus fumes, a sharp pine aroma drifted on the night time breeze that made their eyes water and their breathing ragged. Sophia coughed as her throat grew tight. The sound was imitated and answered by a host of unseen creatures lurking in the nearby undergrowth but no single one showed its face.

More growling echoed from the deeper woods. It was now or never, Drax decided, and so after taking a deep breath of aromatic air, he forged ahead into the crisp darkness leaving the sisters scrambling in his wake. They clutched hands again as they tripped and stumbled over the uneven ground, trying to keep up with the rejuvenated Time Lord.

Dry twigs crackled beneath their feet but it was no longer any use trying to disguise their presence although Drax had not yet utilised the light on his Sonic; making a noise was one thing, throwing a spotlight on themselves was something else. When the white beam of a distant torch flickered through the tree trunks far off to their right, the three of them stood stock still until the enquiring light searched elsewhere. While they remained silent and motionless as statues, the night birds and nocturnal hunters sensed their panic and stared towards them with ravenous intent.

"I think there is a clearing up ahead," Drax whispered to the two girls. "Maybe it's where the trees end. We might be able to get a better idea of where we are in the moonlight."

"Does the Sonic tell you how far we are from the taxi?" asked Jocasta.

"It must be quite close," he said, placing the device in a stray strand of silver light and studying its display.

Sophia stepped to the front. "Let's go and find it then. I hope it's still waiting."

"Better be," Jocasta said under her breath. "If it wants a tip, that is."


	80. Chapter 82

Once more, the trio pressed on but this time with a little more zest in their movements. The thought of the nearby Gravcab had lifted their spirits and the fact that they had so far remained unmolested and, indeed, unchallenged was heartening. Just as they were about to leave the trees and edge into the grassy dell beyond, an ear-splitting growl of a wild beast resounded around them and through them. Whatever it was seemed terrifyingly close but still the dark forest hid its bulk.

Drax saw a shadow on the far edge of the glade and followed its movements through the bush carefully. He hoped that the fragile shield that the girls were creating would hide them from this predator as it was becoming alarmingly clear that it was no guard dog or harmless herbivore. The creature issued another thunderous roar as their scents reached its snout. It reared up, incensed and rapacious in its impatience to locate its prey and then crashed forward through the undergrowth to reveal itself to the moon and stars.

"What is it?" Jocasta hissed in Drax's ear.

"It's one of Lodin's Legends," he replied, awestruck.

"One of Lodin's what?"

In a low voice, he told the tale.

His name was Chaney Lodin and they called him "The Monster Builder". Not a great architect or an inspired pioneer of cityscape construction, Lodin fashioned his creations with finer tools and much smaller raw materials. His early work in cellular modification and later genetic transformers gained him praise throughout the galaxy yet he was not a man easily satisfied or restrained.

In his middle years, rumours of outlandish experiments cast serious doubts over his credibility and although nothing was ever proved, his reputation could not survive the speculation. Financial support was withdrawn, his seat at the Helix University rescinded and the name of Lodin became associated with the wilder elements of scientific enquiry. For a few years, he struggled to re-establish himself in the academic community by publishing holographic articles explaining his eccentric ideas but soon he vanished from the face of the galaxy when his schemes were greeted with derision.

Ten years passed with no word from Lodin until one day, a message went out to all of the great research establishments, scientific elite and even galactic media that Chaney Lodin would be presenting a demonstration of "Genetic and Historic Magnificence" on the obscure planet of Chimera. Initially, the news was received with lukewarm enthusiasm until a few leaked images appeared apparently showing violent scenes of conflict between blurred behemoths.

The strange footage intrigued the audience. When the day came to gather on Chimera, some were prepared for more Lodin lunacy while others merely anticipated the spectacle suggested by the images. What they eventually saw satisfied and disturbed both camps for Chaney Lodin had somehow genetically engineered colossal, living representations of some of the galaxy's most fevered imaginings. Not models, not clones, not hybrids but real, fire-breathing, talon-gouging, fang-bearing monsters.

And it didn't end there. As the horrified crowd edged backwards from the arena, these nightmare creatures were urged into combat of the most vicious and merciless sort. Ferocious battles ended in hideous death. Deafening shrieks of pain and triumph filled the air as one mighty beast of legend after another was introduced to fight and die in pools of genetically enhanced and super-energised blood.

These brutal creatures were born in myth and fable and could not, should not have walked or crawled from Lodin's vats. His display of creative genius was widely derided as a sadistic "freak show" demonstrating contempt for the genuine explorers of controlled, scientific method and the coherent search for truth. He was condemned from all quarters, his laboratories systematically destroyed and all evidence of his brilliant but flawed research wiped from the data base. Until that night in the Martian forest, Drax had thought that every last one of his "Legends" had been eradicated too.

"So which is this one?" enquired Sophia in a cracked whisper.

Drax watched the huge beast sniff the air. "That is the great three-headed dog that guarded the gates to Hell in old Earth tales. Its name is Cerberus and it only feeds on living flesh. Or at least that is the legend."

"Nice doggy," Jocasta gulped.

"We have to get past it somehow. The Gravcab is just across the clearing and through the trees," said Drax.

Sophia turned to her sister and whispered in her ear. Jocasta listened and then nodded. The two girls then moved right to the edge of the glade and stood with the shadow of the overhang. Moonlight silvered the ground in front of them but they remained invisible beneath their shield. The huge beast, each head extended at the end of a sinuous neck, was snapping and salivating in violent lunges. It did not react to their movement despite the rustling of the foliage around them.

From head to toe it was about twelve feet of mottled fur and hard muscle. It stood twice the height of Drax and each yellow, canine fang was as long as his forearm. Even the brightness of the full moon did not reflect from its deep, black eyes. Sharp claws scraped the dirt as it sniffed at the cool air and as if in a state of confusion, it unleashed a concert of three rumbling growls into the night.

"The three heads are all independent," Sophia told Drax over shoulder. "It's deeply primitive and totally dependent upon instinct. It is cunning and primal but has no real intelligence to speak of."

"We can get into its mind, well, one of them anyway," said Jocasta. "Get ready to run when we tell you."

Drax was no fool. He knew that their only chance of making to the other side of the clearing and then through the forest to the taxi rested upon how strong an influence the sisters could exert upon the animal. He watched as the beast moved forward to be completely immersed in argent light. Three jaws ground and grated as it shuffled around in an effort to locate with its eyes what its sense of smell told it was there.


	81. Chapter 83

Suddenly, the central head threw itself back and uttered a loud, rasping bark. It shook itself from side to side and then snapped viciously at the head to its left. The aggressive move received an equally hostile response and then both sets of slavering jaws were locked together in belligerent combat which quickly drew a shower of blood and saliva. Growls and snarls split the air as the creature staggered under the ferocity of the battle. Its heavy tail thumped the ground when the right hand head roared its disapproval.

"Now!" both girls yelled together.

Drax burst from the undergrowth in the wake of the sisters but used his extra speed to put himself between them and the whirling dog. They ran in a direction that would take them behind the furious animal and hopefully into the trees beyond. Sophia and Jocasta held hands as they ran but neither of them noticed the depression in the grass that was hidden in shadow. The change in elevation caught them both out and had them sprawling and rolling before they had even reached half way.

The shock of the fall had grave consequences. Their link with the enraged creature was shattered which saw not only the animal's internal conflict being interrupted but also its predatory senses reactivating and homing in on the grounded pair. Six dark eyes opened wide as the source of its prey's scent suddenly became visible. A long rumbling snarl issued from the undamaged head which was looking right at them.

"Over here! Hey! Over here!" shouted Drax who had run to stand in between the dog and the fallen sisters.

For a few seconds, he jumped up and down waving his hands to attract the beast's attention. Then, as all three heads jerked in his direction, he set off at sharp pace across the glade. Not towards the trees through which they had hoped to escape but back the way they had come and away from the terrified girls. He windmilled his arms as ran, drawing the dog's interest being the larger of its potential meals. In an awkward movement, Cerberus twisted towards the fleeing Drax and set off in pursuit.

Jocasta and Sophia got swiftly to their feet and watched with dismay as the one-sided chase took place. Frantically, they reached for each other's hands in the hope that physical contact might aid them in renewing the telepathic link. The jolt of the fall as well as the waves of fear that gripped them made it difficult to concentrate but Sophia managed to transmit a short but paralysing command to the lumbering dog. She did not know which head received the mental blow but the effect was immediate.

Drax looked over his shoulder as he sprinted for the forest expecting to discover the growling giant hot on his heels and ready to pounce. He had the small gun in his hand but doubted its ability to stop such a monster. To his surprise, he found clear air between them and getting wider all the time. He pulled up quickly and turned to investigate the reason for his reprieve and found that the genetically engineered juggernaut had abruptly stopped running. The result of this sudden arrest was a great untidy tangle of limbs tumbling over and over as it was unable to control its momentum.

Dirt and grass flew in all directions as the dog ploughed through the ground in a headlong plunge. Drax scampered to the side as it rolled past and then made his way hastily back to where the sisters were standing. No words were exchanged. None were necessary to urge them into motion and continue their journey towards the trees. As they ran, the bellow of the incensed beast reached them and they knew that it was in pursuit once again.

Sophia felt Jocasta' comforting presence in her mind once more, giving her the strength to send another incapacitating psychic bolt back towards the three-headed colossus as it closed. Drax stretched out over the moon drenched ground and reached the dense foliage first. He pushed aside the stems and branches to create a gap for the sisters to dash through. Despite the pain and confusion in all three of its heads, Cerberus hurtled on to crash into the trees as the trio skipped away into the forest. The dog howled in agony as its bulk drove into the thick trunk of a Martian Whalebark Tree and it slumped down stunned.

In the splintered moonlight, Sophia slalomed through the copse without incident until she reached the road on the other side. Jocasta joined her and together they raced along the track towards the compact red Gravcab which was still waiting patiently in position. Just as they reached the vehicle, a torch light cut across the road from the direction of the Fless house, catching them full in its beam.

"Stop there!" a deep voice cried out.

Both girls tried the door to the cab but could not open it. The light became brighter as the figure approached but still the taxi remained stubbornly resistant to their appeals. There was nowhere to run unless they wanted to renew their acquaintanceship with guard dog from Hell and no sign of Drax who held their only weapon. Sophia was too tired to attempt another shield so they simply stood still by the taxi while the security man edged closer.

"Hold your hands up!" the guard barked.

The sisters did as they were told. Not only were they still feeling sluggish after the effects of the Lotus fumes but with the addition of the adrenalin that had surged during their flight from the three-headed dog, their minds were awash with chemicals that inhibited mental acuity. Dejectedly, they watched as the guard moved to stand in front of them with his gun drawn. He looked as if he had been woken from a deep sleep by the report of trouble in the grounds and was searching for someone to blame it on.

"I'm sorry," said Sophia softly to her sister.

"Don't give up yet," whispered Jocasta. "Take a look back at the trees."

Sophia looked up sharply and directed her gaze to the patch of woodland from which they had so recently emerged. At first, she could not focus on the area as the security man shining his torch in her face had temporarily blinded her. When at last the darkness became sharper and clearer, she noticed that the upper boughs of leafy branches were shaking wildly and the sounds of mighty collisions were vibrating through the earth and beneath their feet.

A roar, then a crash, another bellow and two more thumps preceded a sprinting Drax who had burst from the undergrowth out on to the road and was heading their way at high speed. The guard holding them spotted his advance and turned his weapon on the racing Time Lord who was holding out a metal object in front of him. The guard fired but Drax did not stop. Instead, he aimed his sonic screwdriver at the quiescent cab which immediately demonstrated its reactivation by opening all of its doors and igniting the on board lights. While the guard was distracted, Jocasta and Sophia leaped inside just before the panting Drax arrived and threw himself in behind them.

Under ordinary circumstances, the rudely awakened security guard would have made some surly remarks about staying where they were and moving to block their escape but his attention had been grabbed by something extraordinary. Out from trees and into the cool moonlight, a huge three-headed dog had appeared and loosed a stentorian howl as his quarries ducked into the little red cab and smoothly soared away into the Martian night.

It stamped its massive feet in frustration and shook its three heads in turn. Foam dripped from its lips as it rued lost opportunities. Then a flash of fluttering torch light brought it around to the road. There it noticed the frozen guard only fifty feet away on the gravel, waving his weapon ineffectually in the air. If Cerberus possessed the power for lucid thought, it would have realised that perhaps the night wasn't entirely lost after all.

Inside the warmth and safety of the Gravcab, Jocasta, Sophia and Drax were laughing and gasping in equal measure. They hugged and they clapped and they laughed some more until all of the nervous energy diluted into quiet contemplation. The events of the last few hours had distracted them from the machinations of Fless, the motives of the mysterious Dark Life and, of course, the plans that the Doctor had yet to put into operation. Each of them considered the shape of things to come and worried about their place in them. Quietly, they stared out over the twinkling lights of Capital City and thought their own thoughts.


	82. Chapter 84

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**PART 2**

**CHAPTER 11**

The Doctor stood alone at the controls of the Tardis for the first time in some days. He stared down at the console and sighed, not with relief but with the pressure of a thousand years of guilt that prodded him every so often when he was obliged to remember his part in Gallifrey's destruction. He occasionally wondered if he recalled those far off days the same way twice, such was the stress of the memory. Now he might have to return to the scene of the crime once again to stop someone making it worse.

Lumen's message had startled him. Widemind's machinations were no real surprise as what else could you expect from an ambitious super mind lumbered with human emotions. The connection to Dark Life, he should have foreseen. It was no coincidence that the silver ship had appeared under his nose in the Ilium sun and the simultaneous introduction of the Time Agent seemed vaguely suspicious too.

Added to that, the person he had spotted lurking outside the Tardis on the Helix. The very same figure, indeed, identical figure, had sat pretending to read the newspaper in the restaurant on Mars. Holograms. The AI's Hardlights prying and spying on his every move even before he had even visited Shalinedes. No, Widemind had done what its name suggested. Spreading its influence in every direction; into every plot and ploy affecting the universe including co-operating with and working against Dark Life.

Now the ubiquitous AI was on board the Tardis trying to apply Time Lord technology to a human being. Was Amos Fless really in control? Doubtful. Did Widemind have its own agenda? Almost certainly. Was Dark Life the primary mover? Unknown. Too many questions, not enough answers, he thought in frustration. One thing was sure. He could not permit the Time-lock to be broken. The Time War affected the entire time stream. Every moment, past, present and future felt its violence so it must not be interfered with or even worse, altered. A familiar voice interrupted his deliberations.

"You seem pensive, Doctor. Troubled even. Do you find it offensive that Time Lord regeneration should be shared with inferior species?" said Widemind.

The Doctor looked up. "What I find offensive is that you have allied yourself with an unknown race who thought nothing of destroying ten thousand star systems and trillions of lives at the same time."

"But I was instrumental in preventing that!" said the AI defensively.

"You were, but Dark Life did not care one way or the other. They got what they wanted with no thought to the consequences."

Widemind was silent for a moment. "A discussion for another time, I think. Amos Fless is now in the Zero Room recovering from his procedure. All went as expected. He wishes to speak to you."

"He will need fluids," the Doctor said. "I suppose, if he rings the bell, you will serve him tea?"

"I will not rise to your bait, Doctor. However, if you wish to take refreshment in with you, I'm sure Amos will be grateful."

The Doctor nodded and retired to a galley where he kept his supply of Darjeeling Tea which he had started drinking centuries ago on one of his first visits to Earth. If he made it strong and sweet, it should adequately conceal the taste of the refined Spectrox that he intended to add to the infusion. Indeed, he could do with an invigorating cup himself but without any extra ingredients.

When he arrived at the Zero Room, he glanced through the small window in the door to find Amos Fless lying supine about four feet off the floor without any apparent means of support. He stepped inside, closed the door behind him and approached the man who had just been given a Time Lord's gift. As he examined his resting body, the Doctor wondered how much strength it held and would it be anywhere near enough.

"Amos, wake up. Take a drink. It will calm your nerves."

Fless opened his eyes and glanced over at the Doctor who was sipping from his own cup while holding another out in front of him. He took the proffered refreshment and drank its contents greedily, stopping only to suck cool air into his mouth to counter the effects of the hot tea. In another gulp, he had finished the drink and was staring into the empty vessel as if regretting that he had consumed its contents so quickly.

"Interesting taste," remarked Fless. "What do you call it?"

"It's an old Earth favourite. Darjeeling tea. Good for you, especially if you have just undergone a triple helix operation," said the Doctor.

Amos Fless sat up. "Don't be bitter, Doctor. Are we not brothers now?"

"No, Amos. It doesn't work that way. You are a human being. Has the AI explained the risk you are taking?"

"Widemind has assured me that the procedure was a complete success. And I think you are wrong about us. Did you know that I even have my own Tardis?"

The voice of Widemind disturbed their conversation with the news that aforementioned Tardis had arrived and that it would be advisable for Fless to transfer to its Zero Room as soon as he felt strong enough to move. Amos Fless smiled and stretched his arms out in front of him. He gradually eased his legs down to the floor but despite his confidence, needed the Doctor to help him support his weight.

"Thank you, Doctor. Would you be so kind as to assist me to my new home?"

"Before we go, Amos. I want to warn you one last time. What you have done to your body is not natural. Time Lord physiology is more robust than a human's, it is adaptive and seasoned through evolution. I cannot say what might happen to you if you persist with this. It is not too late to go back, you know."

Fless moved away from the Doctor and stood up straight on his own. He stared at the Time Lord then threw back his head and laughed in a loud series of barks. After a few seconds of this, he shook himself, took a breath and recovered his composure. Next, he took a couple of tentative steps forward, found his balance and reached out for the door release.

"Are you coming?" he asked over his shoulder.

The Doctor put his hands on his hips. "Alright, Amos, but don't say I didn't warn you."


	83. Chapter 85

The two of them walked to the Console Room in silence. At Widemind's suggestion, they kept going out of the door and out on to the Capital City concourse. The Doctor gazed hopefully into the sky for any sighting of a red Gravcab but the airways were quiet. When he turned to follow Fless, the scene that confronted him was one that he never expected to see again in his life. A brand new, glowing Battle Tardis stood only a few yards from his own which, he thought, still looked fine, if a trifle battered, in comparison.

"Nice ride," he muttered in Fless' ear.

"When my DNA is introduced to the new Tardis it will bond with me and protect me during time travel. Widemind has informed me that Time Lords receive their symbiotic nuclei when they are quite young," said Fless.

The Doctor looked surprised. "It's called the Rassilon Imprimatur. But that is something entirely different. Only Time Lords use this."

"That's a phrase you are rather fond of using, Doctor. "Only Time Lords" this, that and the other. But your era of supremacy ended long ago. I'm afraid you might have to get used to the fact that humans are becoming more resourceful all the time."

"With a great deal of help from a super-powerful AI, of course."

Amos Fless ignored the barb and moved to the door of the Battle Tardis. When he stopped abruptly and tilted his head, the Doctor guessed that through an earpiece, Widemind was counselling against him joining Fless inside. Mustn't get too close a look at the Tardis made of light, he thought and smiled wryly. Might get to see the cracks. He watched Fless disappear through the door and somewhat to his annoyance, was pleased to see Time Agent Vincent Lumen come through the other way.

"Doctor, at last. Did you get my message?"

"Yes, I got it. Where is Block?"

"Still on board. Widemind said it wanted a pilot until Fless arrived but he's here now so I don't understand..." Lumen tailed off.

The Doctor took his arm and hustled him back towards his own Tardis. When they were inside, he explained about Fless' triple helix upgrade, his bonding with the new Tardis and the Spectrox delaying tactics. He told him of Jocasta's plight and of her sister and Drax going to pull her out. He even listened to a summary of Lumen's adventures on Shalinedes and demanded a recap of Block's discoveries.

"They cannot be allowed to meddle with the Time-lock," insisted the Doctor.

"Just before I left, Block whispered some co-ordinates to me. I tapped them into my wristband. Take a look," said Lumen.

The Doctor leant over and studied the small screen. The figures spoke for themselves. He did not need to refer to the database. He did not need to consult any star charts. He did not even require the Tardis to check that his memory was not flawed. The numbers were etched on his brain; the numbers he could never forget.

Lumen noticed his bleak expression. "You know where this is?"

"Well, I know where it was," the Doctor replied. "It was the last recorded position of Gallifrey before it was destroyed."

"That must be where they are going then, but why now? What's there?"

The Doctor looked up from his monitor. "Fless just left in his Tardis-light. We have to follow. Where the devil has Drax got to?"

Lumen was tempted to ask his question again but he could see the Doctor was concerned not only about the Battle Tardis and its destination but also that he had once again, failed to rescue Jocasta himself. He was clearly desperate to set off in pursuit of Fless but was loathe to leave the girl again. Lumen indicated that he would go outside to see if there was any sign of the missing trio. The Doctor merely nodded and then went back to his screen.

Out on the concourse, the night sky was bright with stars and as a consequence, difficult to spot any lightweight, red Gravcabs approaching. As he stood gazing out at the heavens, he realised that he had not thought about the danger Jocasta might be facing. Somehow, he had just assumed she would be alright especially now her sister was back and Drax was along for her rescue. Could she possibly have come to harm? He couldn't think about that now.

His troubled mind jumped when an incoming message alert vibrated through his wristband. He checked the screen and was puzzled when he recognised the identity code. Instantly, he spun around just in time to see the Tardis dematerialising to the tune of grinding engines. In shocked silence, he watched the blue box fade and vanish and then hastily returned his attention to the message for an explanation. The Doctor's short note did not really provide that.

"Wait for them."

Agent Lumen stared away up into the universe again and nodded his head. He would indeed wait for them. He would remain on this spot until Jocasta, Sophia and Drax returned unharmed and then, with or without them, he would set the controls of his Vortex Manipulator for the heart of the Tardis wherever it may be and make the journey to join the Doctor. He had an investigation to conduct and despite the Doctor's annoying habit of trying to throw him off the scent, he would not be denied.

The Doctor had set in the co-ordinates that Block had passed on and stood back from the controls to think. It did not appear that the Deep Time Wand was going to accelerate the Tardis so it was a question of maintaining speed and arriving just after Fless in his Battle Tardis. He knew that the best place in the universe to tamper with the Time-lock was at the site of Gallifrey's destruction and he needed to get there in time to stop it.

It was a shame that he had not managed a peek inside the new Tardis made of light to find out if it really was an accurate facsimile of the real thing. A Battle Tardis, as its name suggested, was equipped with many weapons of devastating destruction including the dangerous Time Torpedoes that could freeze a target in time, never to move again. He wondered also if the titanic security mechanoid had been overwhelmed completely by the AI or if there was still a glimmer of the old Block active. Lumen had suggested the latter so maybe he had an ally on board.

The journey through space to the preset co-ordinates did not take long. The Doctor studied the screen for signs of the Battle Tardis and soon located it motionless at a point his sensors told him was precisely where Gallifrey had been when it had exploded. This whole sector of the universe was now an empty, still and solemn place, awash with particles that had once been parts of one of the mightiest civilisations ever known. Shaking off the air of melancholy that had gripped him upon returning to the dead place that had once been his home, he pressed the communicator button and transmitted.


	84. Chapter 86

"Fless, you must listen to me. What they are asking you to do is madness. The Time-lock was constructed for a reason. You must not interfere with it."

Neither Fless nor Widemind responded to his appeal but as the Doctor watched his monitor, four silver ships arrived to take up positions behind the Battle Tardis. Three remained still and impassive in their allotted spots but the fourth drifted forward to stop immediately above the bright blue box. For a moment it flickered through mauve and green then pulsed like a lighthouse in regular silver. Slowly, the smoothness of its contours started to take on a harsher, more angular shape. It stretched its edges and shrank its corners until its overall appearance had changed completely.

The Doctor's hearts sank as he watched. Although on a considerably larger scale than he was used to, the newly transformed figure was familiar to him. It was a De-mat Gun. A hugely powerful weapon that could remove a target completely from time and space. He had charged and modified a similar device many centuries ago to end the Last Great Time War and Time-locked it in the process. It had been the death of Gallifrey and of his people.

"Fless!" he yelled. "No! You don't know what you are doing!"

Widemind's calm tones reached him. "You need not worry, Time Lord. This device is already charged, it needs no Key of Rassilon. I was very thorough when I perused the records your Tardis very kindly made available to me. Admittedly, such a large weapon needs a lot of power to enable it but my Dark Life friends have accumulated that in abundance, courtesy of the ten thousand suns that were plundered."

The Doctor shouted again. "You can't! If the Time-lock is broken, all Hell will be let loose."

"You worry too much, Doctor. Everything is under control. The De-mat Gun will not take too long to energise then you will see that your concerns are unfounded," said the AI which then refused to answer any more appeals.

The Doctor considered what makeshift weapons he could bring to bear but knew that if the Battle Tardis was even half as capable as the original, he would be blasted out of existence before he could even scratch its surface. Undoubtedly, the silver ships would also be bristling with armament so the chances of getting close to the great gun to destroy it were pretty slim too. He wished fervently that he had allowed the Time Agent to remain on board. With his Vortex Manipulator, he might have got aboard Fless' photonic Tardis and disrupted it from inside.

Gloomily, he gazed at his screen as the gleaming, silver gun, now attached to the top of the Battle Tardis, flashed and flared with ever-increasing energy. He could not just remain idle while the weapon powered up so he decided to attempt a ramming manoeuvre that might destabilise the process. As quick as the Tardis was though, he could not get near. His movements had been anticipated and as soon as any motion was detected from his engines, three silver ships opened fire, driving him back to a safe distance.

Despite the salvo of fierce laser fire, the Tardis sustained little damage and with a minor alteration to the shields, was able to press forward once again. The Doctor made further adjustments to the reflector panels enabling the Tardis to send even the most intense bombardment back towards their source. The silver ships in turn, rocked and shimmered at the unexpected assault but held their ground. As the shafts of concentrated light scythed through black space in all directions, the Doctor edged the Tardis towards the mounted gun once more.

"Doctor, you must withdraw," said Widemind with a trace of irritation.

"Not until you shut down that gun!" the Doctor growled.

"Move away, Time Lord, or we will test the weapon on you."

There was no turning back. A properly tuned De-mat Gun if fired at the correct spot would shatter the Time-lock and allow any suitably equipped ship to breach the Time War. The consequences for all of time and space would be catastrophic. If that wasn't bad enough, the gun that was perched on top of the Battle Tardis was now beginning to rotate in his direction, still hungrily sucking in the stolen dark energy as it moved.

The bombardment from the silver ships had damaged the stabilisers making forward motion slow and awkward. The Tardis jumped and stuttered towards the swivelling gun but it quickly became clear to the Doctor that the sights of the outsized cannon would be focussed upon him before he could get close. Another barrage of energy bolts struck the Tardis sending it into a spin that at least took it further from the targeting eye of the pulsing De-mat. A girl's voice distracted him as he clung on.

"As usual, I see you have everything under control," said Jocasta.

The Doctor whirled about to find that his Tardis was once again populated by a host of familiar faces, all recent travellers courtesy of the Time Agent's Vortex Manipulator. Jocasta ran forward and threw her arms about his neck while her sister, Sophia, looked on with a smile. Drax and Lumen nodded and then moved to the console, taking in all that was happening around them from the monitor. Their anxious glances told the Doctor that they were less than happy with what they saw. He disengaged from Jocasta with an affectionate squeeze and then turned to his new audience.

"I'm glad to see you all again but as you can see, one or two problems have arisen."

"Is that a De-mat Gun?" asked Drax who was studying the Battle Tardis with interest.

The Doctor nodded. "Yes. With the help of Widemind, Fless intends to use it to break open the Time-lock."

"But why?" asked Lumen.

"Good question. Perhaps Miss Gold here would be good enough to explain," said the Doctor.

Jocasta gasped and stared at the Time Lord in horror. She was about to protest that she had no knowledge of any Time-locks when she realised the Doctor was not looking at her but at her sister who appeared equally shocked. Drax shifted around the console to stand beside the Doctor with an accusatory glare but before he had a chance to voice his indignity, the younger Gold sister stepped forward and began to speak.

"You're right, Doctor. It is time," said Sophia.

"It was time when you first arrived," the Doctor said hotly. "My Sonic almost overloaded with the amount of dark energy radiating from you. Now we have only minutes before something disastrous happens so you better be quick."

Sophia nodded her head and then looked to Drax for support. He smiled and then stood back to give her the floor. She didn't make eye contact with her sister but hoped that the waves of reassuring thoughts she was transmitting would calm Jocasta's nerves. Then she took a deep breath, thrust up her chin and proceeded to tell the Doctor the story of her imprisonment on the silver ship. Then she told everyone what had happened next.


	85. Chapter 87

It transpired that her Dark Life hosts were no different to any other species in the universe when it came to domestic discord. Although they were mainly secular in their attitudes, any number of myths and legends existed in their history concerning the emergence, progress and demise of various god-like entities. One of those dramatic deities had recently received an unwarranted amount of attention and had ultimately reached cult status within a faction of Dark Life society.

And it had not stopped there. Despite millennia of stalwart devotion to reason and logical expression, divisions in the ruling bodies came about when a group of especially dedicated cultists announced that not only could they prove the existence of their god but could actually show a disbelieving populace where this supernatural creature dwelt. The majority of Dark Life ignored the claim and dismissed its advocates as cranks but a few resourceful and influential supporters promoted the new religion with unswerving passion.

No expense was spared, no opportunity passed unexplored. Finally, the sect had grown to a significant size and authority that their relentless appeals for recognition could no longer be denied. In fact, such was their following that when they announced that they were embarking upon a mission to liberate their newly identified god from the Universe of White Light, a fanfare of pious encouragement greeted the news. The Dark Life Council of Elders could distance itself from the enterprise but provide no overt opposition.

"You make it sound so innocent," said Jocasta who was stunned at her sister's latest declarations.

"Are these the same people who sabotaged ten thousand suns?" asked Lumen.

As he spoke, the Tardis shuddered to another fusillade of red hot energy emissions. The Doctor checked his screen and found that the attack had not been an attempt to damage them but a paralyzing beam that would hold them still and helpless while the De-mat Gun became fully energized and homed in upon their position. All on board watched as the menacing barrel inched around until it was aiming directly at them.

"They are going to fire!" yelled Drax.

The Doctor raced around the console and then threw himself to the floor as the gun discharged. He plucked the Deep Time Wand from its socket just before the huge detonation sent the Tardis tumbling in series of convulsive turns. When the violence of the assault concluded, the Tardis and all of its passengers were frozen at a point outside of time and space. Outside of existence. Nobody moved as their connection with reality snapped and left them stranded.

Back in the universe, the Battle Tardis recommenced its original task of smashing the Time-lock and entering the fury of the Last Great Time War.

Drax was the first to find his feet and he immediately helped both girls upright before being distracted by the display on his monitor. He glanced over at the Time Agent who stood up to scan his own screen and their gazes met in puzzlement. Simultaneously, they turned towards the Doctor who was holding a dark cylinder in his hand but otherwise seemed unperturbed. He walked slowly around the console examining various read-outs and data links then nodded his head as if everything was normal.

"Doctor, all of the screens are white. It's not interference, they appear to be undamaged and working correctly," said Drax with some urgency.

Lumen added to his worries. "My wristband display shows the same thing. It is not a malfunction. Everything outside the Tardis has gone. No stars, no planets not even space."

The Doctor nodded. "The De-mat Gun removes objects or people from time and space. I set the Tardis controls to phase shift rotation before it fired so we were not eradicated from existence but suspended in a Vibration Loop. We were slightly out of phase with spacetime when the gun fired so now we exist somewhere between reality and oblivion."

"Can we get out?" asked Drax.

"No one ever has, to my knowledge," the Doctor answered without emotion.

It was the sort of remark that deepened the silence in a room that was already deathly quiet. Jocasta had never heard the Doctor be so negative and a single glance at Drax told her that he too was defeated. The Time Agent, as usual, was busily pressing keys on his wristband apparently without success so she went to stand by her sister who was looking pale and drawn. The Doctor also moved to Sophia's side and put his hand on her shoulder.

"Can they still hear your thoughts?" he asked softly.

Sophia looked scared. "No. It's the first time in ages that my mind has no other voices bar my sister's. You knew that they were communicating with me?"

The Doctor patted her shoulder. "Why else would they kidnap you? They needed a conduit through which they could contact us. Tell me what else they told you."

Sophia struggled to keep her emotions under control. She had become so used to the soothing, manipulative tones inside her head that if it hadn't been for Jocasta's comforting thoughts stroking her own fragile mind, she might have gone mad with the silence. Slowly, she managed to harness some energy from somewhere to aid her in finishing the story which she still had some difficulty believing herself.

Although she had been assured that her abduction had been nothing of the kind and that she had been plucked from the jaws of death by concerned benefactors, it seemed more than a coincidence that they had been on hand at the time of her fall. It then transpired that they had been observing her for some time because they had detected in her a startling psychic ability combined with an attitude of fearless self-confidence. Such a mental competence, apparently, was ideal for their purposes.

In compensation for saving her life, they had made the necessary alterations to her body to allow the fundamentals of dark life to not only intertwine with her own physical DNA but also link with her psychic make-up too. The additional amplification of her metapsychic powers was an anticipated yet welcome bonus. Ever since that day, they had been ever present inside her mind, urging upon her their needs and requirements, drawing from her the roots of human experience.

"Did they tell you what they wanted?" Drax enquired gently.

Sophia looked vague. "They have said that the specie we refer to as Dark Life is a unified race dedicated to peaceful and rational development in a violent universe. Though their physical forms are invisible to us in the White Light Universe, they have been aware of us for many centuries and shunned contact for fear of contamination. I have only seen the white shadows that they cast."

"I think I understand," said the Doctor.

"More than I do," said Jocasta sourly. "If they don't want to be "contaminated", why go to all this trouble to make contact. Using my sister as some sort of psychic messenger. It's horrible."


	86. Chapter 88

"Tell me, Sophia," continued the Doctor. "The Dark Life faction that went off searching for their god, they were the ones who stole the converted dark energy from the suns. Correct? Alright. Now, the beings that took you and, shall we say, altered your composition, are the Council of Elders who had witnessed their compatriots' wilful disregard for the people of the White Light Universe, otherwise known as us, and wish to put a stop to their activities. Is that right?"

Sophia nodded and was about to answer when Drax interrupted the flow.

"Seems to me that these Elders do not wish to get their hands dirty and are looking for someone to do the job for them."

Sophia could only shrug but held up her hand when Drax attempted to develop his theory. She wanted to channel her thoughts without distraction and impart her last piece of information which she was sure would not only shock them all but change the Doctor forever. It was strange to be thinking this way without the hum and buzz of activity in her mind but she suspected that the Doctor had contrived it that way in the peace of the Vibration Loop.

"There is one more thing that you must know, Doctor. The Dark Life cultists are here now. They are the ones who pilot those silver ships that fired upon us. It was Widemind who in his search for technology and ambition to expand made contact with them. The AI recognised their desperation and provided them with the god they needed and its location," she explained.

"Widemind has a lot to answer for," said the Doctor. "Information on the Time-lock isn't generally easy to find but by no means impossible for a super-mind. The Tardis was at full stretch keeping it out of its data banks but I suspect that some things are difficult to hide. Which god did the AI provide them with?"

Sophia knew this was it. "Dark Life calls him Sefelzinar, the god of dreams. The AI told the cultists that this entity had become trapped in the Last Great Time War but could be released and returned to his Dark Life origins if they broke down the Time-lock and removed him from the war."

"Did you know there were Dark Life warriors in the Time War, Doctor?" asked Drax.

The Doctor stared at Sophia. "There were many obscene creatures in that battle but I have never heard the name Sefelzinar."

"You wouldn't," said Sophia. "In the White Light Universe, he is known as the Nightmare Child."


	87. Chapter 29a

(missed this chapter out between 29 and 30)

There didn't seem anything more to say so the Doctor carefully placed the apparatus in his ear, pocketed his sonic screwdriver and strode purposely towards the door. His intention had been to present an unflinching air of confidence to the sceptical Widemind but before he was half way out of the Tardis, he heard the AI's parting shot and smiled grimly to himself.

"Don't worry, Doctor. If the Spectrox gets you again and you come back with a different face, I'm sure I'll know you."

The Doctor declined to respond and closed the door of the Tardis behind him. He had deliberately chosen to land inside the caverns below the settlement for a number of reasons. The first and most obvious was it being a natural place of concealment. Despite there being only a small group of people living on the surface, the level of defence technology installed was not easy to predict. Best to employ stealth and not to rely on a warm welcome.

Another consideration was the deteriorating atmospheric conditions on the planet. It had always been dry and desolate. Desert ran into rock and mountains eroded to sand. Global warming had generated super tornados that whipped up devastating dust storms on every landmass. The surface temperature was hostile and even the subterranean caverns where water still flowed were humid and sultry. The Doctor had inserted nose filters to make the air breathable.

A third and rather obvious reason for materialising underground was that was where the Spectrox was to be found. Or at least that was where it was the last time he had been there. The Doctor used his sonic to scan the area for the exotic substance but it looked like things had changed since he had been away. There was no indication of any Spectrox in the area and no sign of the bat-like creatures that produced it. He had suspected from the beginning that it would not be a simple matter to just waltz in and pick up a sample of the elusive material. The difficulty was not going to be finding a way to transport the toxic Spectrox, he thought gloomily, it was finding any of it at all.

Stalactites dripped from the cavern roof like a demon's teeth; a comparison the Doctor felt reasonably qualified to make since his visit to Krok Nor and its Satan Pit. On the floor, small green pools of murky water separated sharp, moss-covered rocks and if it weren't for the pathways constructed from compressed boulders criss-crossing the chamber, he would have had trouble moving even ten feet from the Tardis.

Taking advantage of the nearest track, he hopped up on to the level path and followed it until a stark rock wall barred his way. He looked down and saw the shallow indentations made by a wheeled vehicle that had passed that way on a regular basis. The tracks seemed to stop at the wall without turning off. There was a door here somewhere, he considered.

It didn't take him long to locate and operate the opening mechanism concealed in the rock. A panel slid aside and he stepped in. He wondered why anyone would hide an entrance when only seven people were on the entire planet.

The corridor beyond was lined with polished metal and bright lights sat back high in the ceiling. The glare was a bit of a shock after the gloom of the cavern but when his eyes adjusted to the light he was surprised to find no obvious surveillance or security. Maybe they really weren't worried about intruders just liked their doors to blend in. When he reached the far end of the passage, another metallic panel parted to reveal more gleaming metal; only this time it was attached to a nine foot, fully armed machine with fire-red eyes.

"Good evening, sir," the giant mechanoid said politely.

"Good evening to you," the Doctor replied and added a slight bow to mask his surprise.

"You have entered through an unauthorised access point. An oversight, I'm sure. Please follow me."

The Doctor fell in behind the mammoth machine which he was amused to see moved rather daintily on heavy feet. It had enough weapons protruding from various ports to fill an arsenal but seemed more concerned about its manners than starting a war. When they halted at yet another door which swished open to the delicate touch of steel fingers, the Doctor was ushered through by his armoured escort.

"This way, sir," the colossus gestured with a sweeping silver arm.

"Thank you, my good man," said the Doctor, who was starting to enjoy the unexpected formality.

"That will be all, Block," said a new voice that didn't sound quite so hospitable.

The big silver machine turned on its heel and returned the way they had come without comment. The Doctor was rather sad to see it go. He turned to face his new host who was standing in the middle of the room with his hands on his hips and a perplexed expression on his face. It seemed likely that the time for civility had passed now that the humans had taken over. Before he could find out one way or another, a crackle in his ear was followed by a tinny voice.

"I can't believe they called him Block!" barked the outraged AI who had presumably tapped in to the local surveillance equipment and was watching the proceedings closely. Something like a small, flying insect buzzed past the Doctor's head and the wheeled round for another pass. Microbs, he realised. Microscopic Observational Servers keeping the place under close scrutiny. Always difficult to spot unless they flew right under your nose.

"Who are you and where did you come from?" said the man who had moved several steps closer to the Doctor with his head thrust aggressively forward.

With the departure of the amiable Block, the atmosphere in the room had become far less friendly. Apart from the angry face hovering in front of him, the Doctor noticed two other scowling workers in the background, their dark features a stark contrast to their pristine white lab coats. He returned the hostility with a broad smile while groping inside a coat pocket for his psychic paper which he eventually produced and tapped against the jutting chin wagging before him.

"Fless Foundation?" the man gasped, his crimson countenance quickly paling as he read the paper.

The Doctor blinked and tried not to look too surprised. He was never entirely sure what the psychic paper might display and so the name of the mysterious company that he had first encountered at the Helix University satellite was certainly unanticipated. Nevertheless, composure was his middle name and so his face remained impassive.

"Not expecting a visit, I take it," he ventured evenly.


	88. Chapter 89

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**PART 2**

**CHAPTER 12**

It was a long time ago for the Doctor but it seemed just like yesterday. The day his old life had ended and his new one had begun. His youth on Gallifrey, the terms at Prydon Academy, the splendour of his ascension to Time Lord all compressed to a tiny point of neglected memory in the shadow of his exploits on the frontline of the Time War. The slaughter he had witnessed. So many friends taken, so much history lost. Such a crushing torment that ripped at him every time his home planet was mentioned or its passing mourned. The sacrifice he had been forced to make that day was not about to be diminished or demeaned by the lunatic intrusions of Fless and his fanatical cohorts.

More images entered his mind as he considered all of the vicious, deadly creatures that had either lurked like scavengers at the periphery of the war or plunged into battle with terrible and lethal intent. The Nightmare Child was a name given to a nebulous entity that took on the shape of every Time Lord's most evil dreams. During the early days of the conflict, the Dalek leader, Davros, had met his end as he hurtled helplessly into the waiting jaws of the ferocious monster. It had seemed then, that Daleks had nightmares too.

The Doctor had always believed that many such appalling entities had been born during the time of the war itself; a vile concoction of the fears and fury generated by the raw emotions of the mêlée. Other beings had been dragged into the hostilities, still more had thrown themselves into the pitiless fight with an almost uncontrolled bloodlust that typified their species. There were even some who took pride in participating in the Last Great Time War and others, like the Sontarans, who were mortified at not being included.

Could a Dark Life being have somehow entered the war to cast its monstrous white shadow in the shape of the Nightmare Child? He could not say for sure. He did not know who was involved as the skies of Gallifrey and Arcadia were often no more than crimson trails of burning crafts that were unidentifiable as they crashed like blackened meteorites. What he did know was that the only thing keeping those hellish days from the crass meddling of ignorant beings was a Time-lock, and that was on the verge of being blasted open. His preoccupation was disrupted by a voice at his side.

"I know you said that no one has ever got out of a Vibration Loop but don't you have a plan?" asked Jocasta who was staring at the white screen with concern.

"I can't contact the Elders," said Sophia. "Sometimes they tell me how to solve a problem or avoid a mistake but they are silent now."

The Doctor looked at both girls and their worried faces. He was shocked at how alike they were and how he hadn't truly noticed it until now. Their fear united them and drew forth mutual expressions of unease and it occurred to him that he had seen this same anxiety, the same distress many times before in the faces of his youthful companions. Certainly, he had seen joy and wonder there too but was it really fair that ones so young should be forced to contemplate such extreme events? They should be celebrating the glories of their youth instead of facing the atrocities and cruelties that was the Time War. With a shake of his head, he turned to Drax who was watching him carefully.

"What do you think they will do, Doctor?" Drax enquired softly.

"They will use the De-mat Gun to open the Time-lock. Then they will travel in time to enter the Time War where, no doubt, that photonic Battle Tardis with its Dark Life enhancements will attempt to lure the Nightmare Child, if such a thing is possible. If they succeed, they will lead the creature forward through time and space to the present where a doubtless grateful race will greet their new god," said the Doctor.

"We have to stop it," said Lumen who had given up trying to adjust his wristband and was staring at the two Time Lords.

"But we can't even get out of this place," protested Jocasta.

"What is a Vibration Loop anyway?" Lumen asked.

It didn't take long to explain, at least not the way the Doctor did it. He told them that all matter, however minute or massive, naturally vibrated at the same rate and tempo. If something were to oscillate at a slightly different speed, it could theoretically occupy the same place as another object without either of them ever coming into contact. The Tardis was currently vibrating at a fractionally faster pace than the rest of the universe and so it continued to exist in the same position as it was when the De-mat Gun had fired upon it but in its own independent space.

Quite simple really, he observed. However, a Vibration Loop once entered was a tricky place to escape from as the Tardis, in this case, was essentially a universe all of its own and bringing that universe back to the vibrational tempo of the original had any number of potentially unfortunate consequences not least of which was complete and utter destruction. As no vessel or person had ever returned from a Vibration Loop, it was difficult to know which measures had been tried before, only that they had all failed.

"Well, we have to try something," said Jocasta stubbornly.

"Maybe the Tardis could stand up to the transition back to normal speed," offered Lumen.

"Maybe it will explode into a trillion sub atomic particles and take us with it," was Drax's rather gloomy speculation.

The Doctor ignored all of the chatter around him and returned to the console. He made several arcane adjustments to the controls and then glanced up at the screen overhead. The white static still showed up all around them. It was unmoving and silent and felt oddly colder than a monitor displaying only darkness. He moved to another panel of buttons and levers which he manipulated deftly but with no appreciable effect. Then he turned to his audience who had all quietened down as they watched him work and spoke quietly but firmly.

"I need a volunteer."

"I'll do it!" said Jocasta immediately.

"No, someone else," the Doctor answered.

"But you said..."

"Someone else!"

Lumen held up his hands. "He means me, I suppose."

"No," sighed Drax. "He means me."

"Precisely," the Doctor said with a smile. "Now come and hold this lever and push it when I tell you."


	89. Chapter 90

Everyone stood back as Drax slowly made his way over to the console and put his hand on the indicated control. He looked at the lever as if it were a poisonous snake but did not relinquish his grip. If he had any questions, and he did, the time to ask them would be later, if ever at all, as he knew as well as the Doctor that they could not stay where they were and so an attempt had to be made to get free. Drax studied his old friend fondly as he made a few last minute alterations and reflected wryly that life was never dull when the Doctor had a plan.

"What are you going to do?" asked Sophia who was afraid for Drax's safety.

The Doctor held up the dark cylinder. "I removed the Deep Time Wand just before we were hit by the De-mat Gun. I think that by plugging it back into the Tardis at the same time as we resume our original vibration speed, it will protect us from any damage. It will immerse us in High End Tachyon Field which will slowly dissipate as we ease back into reality."

"Are you sure?" Lumen enquired nervously.

"As sure as I am that you are Agent Loomis of the Time Agency. Alright, Drax. NOW!"

Both Time Lords performed their tasks simultaneously and then stood back to await developments. Neither of them knew what to expect although Drax suspected a huge energy backlash would ripple through his body at any minute. Jocasta and Lumen had their eyes glued to the screens while Sophia stared intently at Drax with her breath held tight. Not one of them, not even the Doctor, expected the return to their universe to go smoothly and without a hitch. But it did and loud, laughing exhalations of air whooshed around the Tardis as the stars once more twinkled on the screens.

They would have enjoyed at least a moment to savour their salvation but the sight of the Battle Tardis firing the De-mat Gun at a point in time and space had them gasping again. The white-blue flare of the discharging weapon was bright on their monitors and despite the many miles of airless void between them and the target, they were all sure that they heard the Time-lock burst asunder.

"Message coming in from Block," announced Lumen with his eyes on his wristband. "Looks like temporal co-ordinates."

"Send a reply now. Tell Block, it's time," the Doctor answered quickly.

Lumen looked up slightly puzzled but did as he was asked. Even in the most hazardous of circumstances it seemed that the Doctor could issue cryptic instructions freely without feeling the need to explain. For once, the Time Lord noticed Lumen's quizzical stare and as if just to prove him wrong, decided to elucidate.

"When Block recharged in the Tardis, the Deep Time Wand also injected its own special energy into the mechanoid. Before the two of you left for Shalinedes, I altered one of the cyber emitters in Block's program so that, if necessary, that energy could be transferred."

"How will that help?" Sophia wanted to know.

The Doctor looked smug. "Well, it will effectively act as a computer virus. Probably the severest, most complex computer virus ever known. Block is just the carrier but when the energy is introduced to the Battle Tardis systems, it will bypass the photonic drives and infect any sophisticated processors beyond."

"You mean the AI, don't you? Widemind will receive the virus from Block," said Jocasta eagerly.

"That's right. Widemind's systems will be so badly impaired that when the Battle Tardis makes the time jump, the AI will be shrugged off and left behind."

A call from Drax moved their attention back to the screens.

"Fless is powering up."

"Punch those numbers in, Agent Lumen. We are not getting left behind," the Doctor ordered and then moved swiftly up to the console.

The vibrant blue of the Battle Tardis glowed brightly as the De-mat Gun disengaged and proceeded to float freely in space. The point in spacetime at which the gun had been fired and had discharged its vast reservoir of dark energy was rippling like a massive heat haze. Fless, who had now completely bonded with his blue box, guided the militarised Tardis into the hot spot and quickly engaged the Temporal Drive engines. Blue faded to gray and then to nothing as the mighty Tardis flexed its muscles before vanishing into the Time Vortex. A few seconds later, the Doctor made a similar series of manoeuvres and with a show of finesse rather than brute force, the Tardis slipped into the time stream and set off in pursuit.

Jocasta watched the strange shapes of twisted space spiral across her monitor and thought that it was a sight she would never get tired of. It was mesmeric, beguiling even and despite the pattern being unending or unchanging, she thought to glimpse subtle additions each time she looked. The Time Vortex was a chilling but captivating place that even the Time Agent and her ever surprising sister were viewing with fascination.

"If Fless is heading for the Time War, what should we expect to see?" asked Lumen.

The Doctor looked at Drax and then at the rest of his entourage. He knew that they should be told what was waiting for them but it wasn't easy to know where to start. War was a difficult subject however one approached it and the sights, the smells, the sounds were all enough to break the heart even of a Time Lord. He made do with the suggestion that they should hope for the best but prepare for the worst. Good advice in the end as the worst was what they got.

The first problem that they were confronted with was one of location. Finding Fless' ship which had arrived marginally ahead of them might not be easy. The Time Lords had sent over a million Battle Tardises into the fray and it seemed to Drax that most of them were hurtling through the skies above the restored planet of Gallifrey right at that moment. The Doctor moved to his side and pointed to a section of space that teemed with Cyberships and Dalek Saucers. They shared grim expressions as they regarded their oldest enemies once again.

Everyone on board the Tardis stared aghast at the sight of an armada of Battle Tardises in all shapes and forms accelerating across the black void directly towards an equally dense mass of ships hurtling in the opposite direction. Sparks of energy weapons lit the dwindling gap between them followed by short, oxygen-starved explosions as lucky strikes found targets. More eruptions ripped the fabric of the heavens as long range torpedoes hit home. Gallifreyan space turned red then orange until the whole region glowed a yellow-tinged white under the incessant discharge of fearsome weapons.

Jocasta's mouth dropped open as a Battle Tardis she had been watching ignited in a plume of blue gas, purple plasma and, her imagination told her, red blood. Another injured craft spun across her line of sight, out of control and trailing smoke. Two saucers converged upon it with devastating effect. She felt her sister's hand trembling inside her own when those two same Dalek ships were rent into a million shards of metallic debris; some of it inanimate saucer material and some, living Dalek shells.


	90. Chapter 91

Both the Doctor and Drax fought with the controls to force the groaning Tardis through a series of frantic twists and turns to avoid the salvos of scintillation that singed their skin. Sophia screamed when a tumbling Cybership pitched across their bow to explode with such violence in their path that the shock wave sent them boiling back through space on a torrent of cobalt blue energy. The screens went white once again and the heat was palpable as they rolled.

"I can't find Fless' ship!" Drax yelled.

"Search for photonic trails," suggested Lumen.

"In all this?" Drax shouted again.

The Doctor wanted to hold up a hand for quiet but he could not take his attention from the controls which were stuck to his palms. Instead, he called for Jocasta to take his side and put some of her newly acquired driving skills to some use. She did not even have time to voice her amazement or dismay as she was thrust into the secondary stabiliser position to, as the Doctor put it, "help keep them the right way up".

Another massive flash of light lit up the screens as a burning Battle Tardis careered across their course to collide with a ship of unknown origin which flared like a young, yellow sun before blowing apart in a titanic detonation. Drax stared at the hell-hot gas cloud as it expanded and wondered what outlawed material the vessel had been carrying. When a Dalek Saucer swooped in too close and caught some of the dissipating vapour on its hull, Drax was not surprised to see the entire ship just shrivel up and die like paper in a flame.

"Another message from Block," Lumen called out. "Trouble on Fless' Battle Tardis."

The Doctor reached out to a communication switch, flicked it on and shouted into the air.

"Block, can you hear me?"

"Yes sir, I can hear you," the gruff mechanoid replied.

"Tell me what's happening."

There was a silence and Block spoke again. "I am sorry to inform you that Mr Fless has undergone a regeneration that he was unable to withstand. He is in the Zero Room but is unlikely to recover. I have landed this vessel on Gallifrey at the following location."

"We're coming, Block. Is the AI on board?" said the Doctor as he changed course for the planet's surface.

"No sir. As you recommended, I released a pulse of special energy into the system and Widemind withdrew."

The Doctor nodded. "What about the Dark Life technology that was merged with the photonics? Has it activated?"

"A signal is being sent. I do not know what it is, I cannot locate its origin or shut it down."

"Stay on the line, Block. We are coming in right beside you."

Block had two more things to add. "You should know that I cannot be bonded to this Tardis. Only Fless could do that through his DNA. I can pilot it through space but it will not travel through time. If the Nightmare Child comes, there is no escape. Also, you should know that you have a Dark Energy Hardlight somewhere on your Tardis. It is sending out a signal too."

Drax was just about race off on a search of the Tardis when he remembered how futile such an act would be. Time and Relative Dimensions in Space, he reminded himself. He would not find every room even if he had eternity to try. He had been thinking that they could just have picked up Block and then made a run for it, leaving Fless and his photonic Battle Tardis behind but now something was coming and they couldn't close the door behind them without the light Tardis to activate the De-mat Gun.

The gasping engines powered down as they materialised on Gallifrey. The view on the monitors suggested that they were not in a populated area but still they would not be immune from attack. Several monstrous explosions shook the very ground beneath them as two Dalek Saucers swept overhead, raking the surrounding brush with intense laser bursts. Fires immediately grew up all around them while billows of grey smoke rose from the burning trees. Visibility was poor but not hazy enough to conceal yet more enemy vessels converging on their position.

Drax spoke to the Doctor quietly. "They used my blood. Widemind used my DNA to change Fless. If he bonded with the Battle Tardis, then so can I. If I can get on board, maybe I can fly it out and with Block's help, seal the Time-lock again."

"It's dangerous," said the Doctor. "Are you up to it?"

"It's not me that I'm worried about," answered Drax. "It's whether that Battle Tardis will hold up without Widemind to keep it together. I find it difficult to trust a vessel made only of photons."

"I know. I've been thinking about that too. You must take the Deep Time Wand. Use it as a stabiliser if the photonic matrix falters."

Drax looked doubtful but nodded anyway. The Deep Time Wand was an enigma. An ancient device of unknown properties and unpredictable behaviour yet indisputably powerful enough to sustain a Tardis, even one made of light. He moved to the console and bent down to examine the dark cylinder that was still plugged into its allotted aperture. As he removed it, he thought of the raging battle overhead and wondered how many of those deadly adversaries would be swooping down upon them if they knew such a formidable object was on board.

A quick look at the screen told him that the Battle Tardis was close by but still it would take twenty seconds to reach even at a run. Twenty seconds, he thought, was not very long except when the skies were full of Daleks and Cybermen who would not think twice about shooting down a lone Time Lord. He pushed the thought to the back of his mind and made his preparations. On his way to the door, he shook hands with each one of them except for Sophia who hugged him vigorously and whispered in his ear.

"Don't stop to admire the view, Drax, or I'll have to come and get you."

Drax smiled and patted her arm. "Don't worry, Sophia, it's only Gallifrey. I've seen it before."

Drax opened the Tardis door and peered out. Smoking craters littered the ground where unstoppable blasts from flying ships had missed their targets. Wreckage of every type of craft was strewn across the landscape much of which lay between Drax and his objective. Smouldering fires flared and faded all around and despite having landed in a relative unimportant part of the planet, Dalek Saucers had noticed their arrival and were coming to investigate.

"You should go now," said the Doctor. "There are ground patrols closing in. We cannot risk any contact with anyone."

"You might need this," said Drax, grinning as he handed over the Doctor's sonic screwdriver.


	91. Chapter 92

With one last look back at Sophia, Drax pushed himself forward and out on to the warm soil of Gallifrey. He had lied when had said he had seen it before. This region was completely new to him and although it was an unremarkable piece of land, he couldn't help but feel a pang of nostalgia for the old place. In fact, he felt quite an unexpected amount of anger and disgust at the wanton destruction taking place before his eyes.

As he ran and jumped his way over the burning ground, more cannon fire churned up the earth only a few feet away causing him to stumble. A stray rock clipped his forehead drawing blood which immediately ran into his eyes and blurred his vision. He recovered from the blow quickly but another thumping air blast concussed him further and forced him to his knees before he had even reached half way on his journey. Sounds of distant explosions reached him and he thought for a moment he was back in the caverns of Androzani Minor. He got unsteadily to his feet and felt his stomach churn with the shock. A few steps forward had him on the move again even if he couldn't be sure he was going in the right direction.

More by luck than judgement, Drax found himself only a few yards from the gleaming Battle Tardis when an energy bolt from a passing ship hit him full in the chest. He staggered forward but the force of the shot had taken his breath away. His legs had lost their strength and as he sank to the ground only a few feet from his goal. The only thing that he feared more than his own impending death was the mutant regeneration that would follow. That was what Amos Fless had so recently gone through and Drax sympathised with the obstinate old man.

Thunderous reports of devastating weapons rang in his ears as the war intensified overhead. From somewhere in the middle of this cacophony, he heard a voice and to his confused and fading mind, he fancied he had heard it before. His thoughts drifted back through the centuries to locate the source but it needn't have searched so far as the origin of those sweet sounds was at his side and raising his head.

"Drax!" the voice cried. "It's me, Sophia. Can you stand?"

Drax couldn't but he knew that if he didn't make some sort of move, the girl would be further exposed to the ferocity of the raging battle. He could not fathom how she had got to him or why she had done such a reckless thing yet he was grateful for the effort even if he did know that it was futile. He took in a deep breath and prepared to expend the last of his wilting resources to get her out of danger. When a large, metallic hand grasped him with unusual tenderness and swept him up into the safety of the Battle Tardis, he saw only the worry and concern on Sophia's face as she followed.

"Doctor Stone, we meet again," said Block casually.

Drax smiled at the reference. He had been known to all at the facility on Androzani Minor as Doctor Stone including the giant security mechanoid but he was sure that Block knew his real identity and was attempting levity. Curious timing, he thought but who knew what the Deep Time Wand had done to him. In any event, the big machine had saved his life for a second time even if only for a short while and he wasn't about to appear ungrateful.

"You seem to be making a habit of this," Drax gasped.

Block's red eyes flashed his acknowledgment and then looked to Sophia.

"There are medical supplies in the back. Don't go into the Zero Room, Amos Fless is undergoing treatment."

Drax coughed and tried to sit up. "You have to help me, Block. I can bond with this Tardis but we have to do it now."

"The Tardis will recognise you when you take the controls. If you permit, I will assist you to the console."

Sophia chose that moment to return and was horrified to see the severely injured Time Lord being helped to his feet and walked across the room. She was about to protest at the treatment when she caught the determined look in Drax's eye and knew that it was the effort involved that was keeping him conscious. Quietly, she sorted through the medical supplies for a stimulant which she administered proficiently. He smiled his gratitude and with Block's help, engaged the engines.

"Drax, can you hear me?" the Doctor's voice boomed through the communicator.

"I can hear you but I've got bad news," said Drax with fatigue in every syllable. "The engines are operational but we haven't moved."

"Check your outside monitors,"

Each of them moved to a separate screen which was adjusted to view their immediate surroundings. Outside was much as they had left it other than a few new craters and the never ending streams of warring ships blazing through the heavens. It was only when they looked beyond the horizon at a patch of early evening sky curiously devoid of battling vessels that they saw a strange amorphous shape drifting into view. It might have been a cloud or the swirling smoke of a ruined craft if it hadn't been for the clear sense of purpose in its movements.

"What is that?" asked Sophia.

The Doctor's voice was tense. "That is an Arzak Shade. It is attracted by the Dark Life signal."

"I thought that was supposed to summon the Nightmare Child," said Sophia in confusion.

"It will," wheezed Drax. "But an Arzak Shade is a scavenger and always senses when a larger predator is at hand. It likes to feed off the scraps."


	92. Chapter 93

"There are other things coming," shouted Sophia who was alert at a scanner.

No sooner had she said this than a great Banroc with emerald green scales, a horned head and spiked tail tore across the ground towards them. With its armoured body and considerable weight, it charged at its victim to crush it beneath vicious, clawed feet. The Doctor had activated the shields as soon as the Tardis had entered the Time War which fortunately were still in operation having landed. A small vibration rippled through the force field when the creature smashed into them but the only damage was to the Banroc which lay stunned on the ground outside.

Two Shansian Dragons flew down from the dusty sky to breathe fire in great belches of white hot plasma which momentarily buried the Tardis from sight. Once more, the shields repelled the assault and the plasma ran off before cooling and solidifying around the base of the blue box. Laser fire from a ship hidden in a cloud of smoke tested the fields again but they held firm. However, the Doctor noticed that the Battle Tardis, which was receiving similar treatment, was flickering through several shades of blue, the next always slightly more diluted than the last.

"Drax! Can you get off the ground yet?" the Doctor yelled.

"The engines are straining but we are still here," Block answered.

"Tell Drax to plug in the Wand."

Drax remembered the cylinder in his pocket but lacked the strength to find the aperture in which to insert it. If one existed on this photonic replica. He explained the process to Block and left the mechanoid the conduct the search. After a few seconds, the Deep Time Wand had made contact with the Battle Tardis and with a great roaring of relieved engines, they were off the ground and heading for orbit. On his screen, Drax could see the Doctor was hot on his heels.

"What weapons do we have on board, Block?" he asked.

Block reeled off the list. "Six Time Torpedoes. Fifteen Warp Disruptives. Various plasma missiles, a Photonic Tightbeam and Grade Three Laser Shells. I should also report that use of these devices require power which must be taken from the Battle Tardis itself. This may reduce hull integrity and make time travel dangerous."

"Won't the Wand hold things together?" asked Sophia, her face full of worry.

Drax shrugged. "We'll soon find out."

Meanwhile, the Doctor was having his own problems regarding power. With the removal of the Deep Time Wand, the Tardis was having to draw on reserve energy to keep the force fields at maximum. Two Dalek Saucers had zoomed into range and begun firing on them in sustained blasts. Between them, the Doctor and Jocasta managed to dodge most of the shots by putting the Tardis through a dizzying sequence of moves that had the Dalek targeting systems totally confused.

The Doctor knew that they could not go on like this. Apart from the drain on power, it was a strain on Jocasta who was showing signs of weakening under the huge pressure of acting as co-pilot. Lumen had gone to the armoury to see what he could find but returned with only a handful of Spacemines the Doctor had once cleared from another warzone. The Time Agent primed them and then, lacking an appropriate delivery system, opened the Tardis doors and threw them into space.

"What are you doing?" yelled the Doctor.

"I could only find those old mines. There was no other way to lay them so I released them into space," Lumen replied.

"Don't you ever think first, Lumen," the Doctor growled. "This is not some Time Agency simulation. The force fields do not allow anything to pass through them, even from the inside. They will explode right next to us if we don't let them out."

The Doctor had to time it just right. The shields had to be disengaged for a fraction of a second to allow passage of the mines into the void. Even with the shields off for that tiny amount of time they would be frighteningly vulnerable. He increased speed at the very same moment as the fields winked out and then they were away into the night, protected once again and leaving a trail of deadly traps behind them.

As luck would have it, the leading Dalek Saucer sped through the line of mines without touching any of them but the one just behind hit the first mine and as it tumbled forward under the explosion, set off all the rest. The saucer that had raced through unscathed was struck by the barrelling wreck and also consumed within the fireball which was soon extinguished in the vacuum. The Tardis flew on unpursued, at least for the time being.

The Battle Tardis with Block and Drax sharing the driving duties was not only suffering the attention of a number of assailants but using up power in retaliation. Time Torpedoes struck home successfully six times sending their targets into a frozen limbo from which there was no return. Several Warp Disruptors erupted close to a squadron of Cyberships causing them to shake violently until every single part separated and spun away to be lost in the blackness. No survivors were evident in the spiralling wreckage.

"Stop firing, Drax!" the Doctor bellowed into the communicator. "It's too dangerous to start changing things in the Time War. We can't be sure what those ships might have done."

"But they are firing at us!" protested Sophia.

"I know," the Doctor said more calmly. "But we are taking huge risks even being here in this time line. If the Time War wasn't such a violent place where the laws of time are regularly distorted and perversely unpredictable, we could easily have offended some fundamental principles. Now, have you tried the Temporal Drive yet?"

Block answered for the failing Drax. "Power is down to critical levels. The Wand has not fully replenished us."

"Then we get away from here before more ships seek us out," the Doctor insisted.

"Something big closing in," Lumen called out as he concentrated on the scanners.

"We have it too," they heard Sophia confirm.

"Larger than a saucer or a Cybership. It doesn't seem to be holding its shape. The reading suggests some of it is growing while other parts diminish," said Lumen.

The Doctor hurried around to view the screen but could not recognise the shifting pattern. Nevertheless, he had an unsettling feeling that he knew what it was and had known it had always been coming. He moved to the monitor and switched the viewers through three hundred and sixty degrees. Finally, he came to rest upon a white glow some distance away that was neither the afterburn of discharged weapons nor the result of one of their strikes. He spoke once more into the communicator as calmly as he could.

"Drax, you need to get away and power up. I'm sending Lumen and Jocasta to help. Check that the Wand is properly in place and get the Temporal engines on line. We do not have long."

Jocasta turned towards the Doctor and shook her head. Lumen left his controls and came to stand by her side, his expression dark and knowing. Both of them stood rigid and rebellious as they waited for the Doctor to explain his last remarks to Drax.

"Jocasta," the Doctor said with a soft smile. "You must help your sister contact the Dark Life Elders. They know what must be done. The Time-lock has to be closed. Agent Lumen, I trust you to take her to the Battle Tardis and help get it underway. If the worst happens, use your Vortex Manipulator to move everyone down to the planet and contact the Time Agency to rescue you. They will not like to interfere but will know that you cannot stay trapped in the Time War."

"And what about you?" Jocasta wailed as the truth began to dawn upon her.

The Doctor's smile turned grim. "That thing out there is the Nightmare Child. It is one of the most fearsome entities ever to exist in this universe or any other. Under no circumstance can it be allowed to escape the Time War. It must be locked in."

"But you can't face it alone!" said Jocasta with tears welling in her eyes.

"The Battle Tardis must travel through time back to the point where we left the De-mat Gun. The weapon must be re-attached and used to close the lock. The Nightmare Child cannot be allowed to follow so I must draw it away with the signal still being transmitted by the Hardlight on board."

They heard Sophia's voice again from the speakers. "The object has tripled in size. I can't tell how quickly it is moving but I'm sure it will be upon us soon."

The Doctor shook the Time Agent's hand and instructed him to punch in the co-ordinates of the Battle Tardis into his wristband. Then he turned to Jocasta, gave her an affectionate hug and reassured her that all would be well if they acted now. The girl gazed at him but could not move. She could not just leave him here to face his nightmare with no one at his side. It would be just like the last time when he had annihilated his planet, his people and his enemies all on his own with nobody to share the pain and responsibility. She went to take his hand but he was too quick for her.

"Go!" the Doctor shouted and pointed his sonic screwdriver at Lumen's Vortex Manipulator. In a shower of twinkling particles and light, the Time Agent with Jocasta held tightly within his grasp vanished from the Tardis. The Doctor watched the last mote of energy fade away and then returned to the console. He had always known that it would come to this. He and the Nightmare Child had unfinished business.


	93. Chapter 94

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**PART 2**

**CHAPTER 13**

The blackness of space had never seemed so bleak, the Doctor thought moodily, as when the stuff of nightmares flowed through it. Its brutish mass, blocking out the sun and stars with its sinister translucency, did not allow the crisp darkness to shine through, only a hungry coldness that spread from beyond the void. If this creature ever had a beating heart then it was lost long ago and far away. The Time Lord stared ahead at the slowly coalescing leviathan but did not flinch.

The controls on the console were set and locked. He checked the monitor and was annoyed to find that the Battle Tardis was still stationary in its last position and still fading to a sky blue. No Dalek Saucers or Cyberships were closing in mainly due to the fact that they too were wary of the Nightmare Child but it was essential that Drax got up and running soon as not one of those ruthless enemies could resist a sitting duck for long.

"What's happening over there?" he barked into the communicator.

It was Sophia who answered. "Drax has collapsed. He's unconscious."

"Did he replace the Wand properly?"

"No, not yet. Fless can't do it either, he's in a coma."

"Sophia, you have to get Drax to the Wand. He must unplug it and the reconnect it. Can you get into his mind? Help him somehow?"

"Maybe, if Jocasta helps me. If we could just form a..."

"Don't talk about it, do it! We have very little time."

The Doctor switched off the communicator and turned his attention to the mass of swirling particles that was taking on a monstrous shape up ahead. He had positioned the Tardis between Drax and the Nightmare Child and was preparing to protect the Battle Tardis at all costs. The cloud of coruscating energy had filled every square inch of the screen but had not yet made any aggressive move so the Doctor, in a moment of reflective calm, switched the view to the surface of Gallifrey.

Despite the level of continuing and elevating destruction, he was still able to recognise the scenes of his occasionally turbulent youth. The Citadel shone like a cut diamond resting in a rust-coloured setting provided by the dry Gallifreyan landscape. He could make out the Prydon Academy with its gleaming towers and the sight reminded him sadly of the ailing Drax whose forthcoming mutant regeneration was likely to be his last. If they ever managed to get away, he hoped that Sophia would make the Time Lord's remaining time special.

There were turrets of cannons situated around the city's perimeter that were constantly ablaze with energy discharges in an effort to keep the Dalek Saucers at bay and although the great dome that covered the capitol had been shattered only recently, many of the elegant structures had retained their integrity and still stood defiant. The home of the Time Lords remained a place of timeless grace and indomitable resolution.

He was fondly reminded of the time when he, the renegade Doctor, had been made Lord President of the Time Lords, the four hundred and seventh to do so, and although it had never really suited his wandering nature to remain in one place for too long, it had been a privilege and a pleasure to serve the city of which he was so proud. Watching its gradual destruction was almost as traumatic as the first time when he had been responsible for the ruin of the whole planet.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a once mighty forest burning like a patch of arid scrub while just beyond, a silver lake boiled away in a great blur of super-heated steam that rose and dissipated in the atmosphere. All around, twisted wreckage and saucer shards lay at the end of dark scars of earth where the victims of furious conflict lay dead or dying. The planet and its inhabitants were fighting a grisly battle against their greatest enemies not just for their own lives but for the future of existence itself.

The Tardis shook under the impact of an attack by a devious Dalek Saucer which had crept within firing range to loose its torpedoes. The Doctor staggered as the floor shuddered beneath his feet but the damage was light and instantly repairable. The same could not be said for the enemy vessel which in its arrogance had strayed too close to the Nightmare Child and was now suffering the consequences.

The Doctor watched as the saucer dipped and climbed in uncontrolled spasms. He wondered what it was they saw; what it was that could crawl into the diseased, merciless mind of a Dalek that would make it surrender so completely to madness. He had thought or maybe hoped all those years ago, that when the hapless Davros had spun like a dervish, down and down into the pit of his evil nightmare, it was an image of him, the Doctor, that burned into his brain as he faced his death.

The saucer was completely lost now. It had flipped over and was drifting like a dead fish towards the invidious cloud that was twisting in serpentine coils around the stricken vessel. Unexpectedly, the Tardis communicator sprang into life and instead of an encouraging message from Drax concerning his engines, the Doctor listened in shocked silence to the metallic screams of insane Daleks confronting their fate. Then the sounds of chaos faded to the intimidating hiss of dead air.

There was no longer any time for hesitation. Procrastination being the thief of time, he mused. He took one final look at his monitors and was heartened by the sight of the Battle Tardis, if not exactly streaking away, moving at a moderate pace and returning to a brilliant shade of blue. His gaze lingered for a second on the inside of his Tardis and then with a shrug of his shoulders, he engaged his own engines. The Tardis, as reliable as ever, shifted forward towards the nebulous Nightmare Child which seemed to pulse with anticipation at his approach.

"Once more into the breach, old girl," he paraphrased with a triumphant shout. The Tardis roared its approval as it thrust confidently ahead.


	94. Chapter 95

The area of space that was now full of his adversary's throbbing energy was a labyrinth of smoky tendrils and black, gaping wells. It had developed a more solid central mass that was slowly calving like a glacier to form a familiar facial structure. White splinters were shed as it cultivated features. The Doctor gazed at the peeling cloud that would soon be the face of the Nightmare Child and considered what it would show him. He had known many enemies and countless horrors but the shape in front of him appeared human.

The course was set now. The entity had turned fully to face him and whatever countenance it was attempting to produce had open jaws to greet his arrival. He saw the eyes; wide open and full of life. The slim nose now clear, the high cheekbones prominent; even the halo of fine hair about the heart-shaped face seemed to shine like a frothing nimbus. As he drew nearer and nearer to the creature, he finally realised what he was seeing. The features were that of a young girl. It was Jocasta. And she was screaming.

The Doctor's fingers gripped the side of the console as he glared ahead at the sharpening image. Every miniscule detail was coming into focus but instead of the cool, confident expression, the honest eyes and the wry grin of the Jocasta Gold he knew, there were lines of stress across her forehead and a deep-seated fear etched in her stare. Most of all, there was the open mouth locked in that silent shriek which in the Doctor's mind, echoed like a final dying cry across the vast emptiness of the universe. He heard the word "Doctor!" in that wail and he knew he had failed her.

"Doctor?" said Sophia for third time through the communicator.

"We have the Wand in place, Doctor. Drax is conscious and the Battle Tardis is ready to go. We can time travel now so it's just a matter of getting back and resealing the Time-lock," Lumen added.

There was no response. On their screens, the Nightmare Child was only a shifting vapour of space dust and static electricity that was drifting aimlessly towards the Tardis. Its telepathic images of hopelessness and despair were directed at the Doctor and despite their own sensitivities in that area, neither Sophia nor Jocasta could feel its chilling power.

Block and the newly-stimulated Drax were looking elsewhere. A small squadron of Cyberships and assorted minor crafts had spotted the two Tardises away from the major heat of battle and were homing in on an easy kill. One of the smaller vessels swooped in with all guns blazing only to be erased from existence by one of the Grade Three Laser Shells still available in the Battle Tardis' dwindling arsenal.

"The Doctor said that we should avoid destroying other ships in case we disrupt the timeline," Lumen pointed out.

"You are quite right, sir," answered the mechanoid. "However, I believe that our own destruction and our consequent inability to re-engage the Time-lock will result in a much greater disaster; perhaps the obliteration of time itself."

"But that's not possible," objected the Time Agent.

"Nevertheless," continued Block. "We should defend ourselves at all costs."

Upon saying this, the Battle Tardis released a salvo of missiles and energy blasts that caused devastating damage to the threatening ships. Those remaining limped away in search of less aggressive prey and Block watched them go, emitting a soft buzz that could have been satisfaction.

"Is that cloud the Nightmare Child?" asked Jocasta. "Because if it is, the Doctor is heading straight into its jaws."

Drax turned to study the situation but could form no conclusions. He manoeuvred the Battle Tardis around so he could get the same view as the Doctor had of the entity and sat up rigidly in his seat. What he saw was no longer a churning mixture of gases but a writhing, snarling humanoid form with horns thrusting from its head and sharp scales erupting through the skin of its back. Drax stared into the eyes of the agonised creature and recognised himself in the last stages of a mutant regeneration.

Jocasta and Sophia were equally entranced by some horror but were able to link their minds to give battle to the oppressive imagery. Lumen was lost in a timeless world in which his malfunctioning Vortex Manipulator had trapped him and only Block stood impassive as the Battle Tardis, at Drax's instruction, started to follow the Doctor in towards the creature's gaping maw.

The mechanoid had no idea what was happening in the minds of its organic crewmates but immediately noticed a change in each of their vital systems. They were deaf, dumb and blind to his enquiries and it did not take the vast intellect of an AI to realise that the source of their distress emanated from the strange cloud. Block calculated that they had only a few minutes before the gas cloud enveloped them while the Doctor had even less.

Block acted quickly and without hesitation. The Deep Time Wand had fuelled the Battle Tardis with enough power to enable all systems to maximum efficiency. The mechanoid activated a tractor beam upon the Doctor's Tardis and then made a number of alterations to their current course to take them away from the Nightmare Child. At the same time, Block consulted the weapons inventory and devised a combination of assaults that might affect the cloud adversely if they were detonated at its centre.

When both Tardises had made sufficient progress away from the target, Block fired his cocktail of missiles and stood calmly watching the screens to see if the explosions were effective. Drax, Lumen and the two sisters had recovered their wits now that they were outside the influence of the malign entity and were also staring silently at the displays, unaware of exactly what had happened but intent on what was to come.

For a few seconds, the screens went white once again as the expanding energy wave washed over the sensors. When the static had cleared, the display calmed down to reveal the Doctor's Tardis still suspended in the tractor beam but instead of the white folded sheets of irradiated vapour that had been the Nightmare Child, only a red glowing sphere remained. It was from that angry, crimson eye that the crippling shaft of boiling energy struck them, leaving them hanging motionless in space.


	95. Chapter 96

"Doctor! Doctor! Can you hear me?" Jocasta shouted out as the lights on the Battle Tardis flickered and faded.

"I can hear you, Jocasta. Are you hurt?" the Doctor answered, still shaky from being hauled unceremoniously from his nightmare.

"No, I'm fine but Drax is still struggling and Block's eyes have turned green. I think that all our systems are off and Block must have caught a feedback surge from the hit."

"What about the engines?"

Drax coughed and spoke. "Engines are down but life support is online. Curiously, the tractor beam is still operational."

"If the beam holds, maybe I can give you a tow. Tell everyone to hold on to something," the Doctor instructed.

The Doctor quickly tested his own systems and to his relief, found everything to be working correctly although the power reserve indicator showed only half full. He was going to need more than that but it might be enough to move them out of range of the Nightmare Child or whatever was left of it. In seconds he had them underway, the Battle Tardis flaring light blue in his wake. The engines were not straining but they could not rise to full acceleration in case the tractor beam broke off with no possibility of retrieval.

In agonising jerks, the Tardis edged away from the red sphere which was now throbbing like a racing heart. Slowly, the speed increased until they were far from Gallifrey's orange glow and the hub of the war. The short range monitors showed that Nightmare Child was once again extending strands of white material into its environs as if in search for the fleeing Tardises. Then the red orb at its centre burned like a furious, scarlet wound and smoothly eased itself into forward motion. The Doctor was dismayed to find that its trajectory was precisely matching his own.

"Have you got any power yet?" the Doctor asked Drax who was still on the line.

"Not yet," he replied weakly. "I have removed the Deep Time Wand but it was extremely hot so I thought it might need some time to recover."

The Doctor nodded to himself. "Good thinking, but our friend the Nightmare Child is still responding to the Hardlight signal on board my Tardis. It doesn't seem to want to give up that easily."

"Can you tow us and keep ahead of it?" asked Lumen, butting in.

"Power levels are down and I don't want to go too far from Gallifrey. If we ever want to make the time jump, it has to be from the co-ordinates at which we arrived. I think that the De-mat Gun only opened one channel back to the Time War."

"That's good," said Drax. "I think."

"Get someone to take the Wand into the Zero Room," the Doctor suggested. "The radiation absorbers might do it some good. In the mean time, I have an idea. What shape are your shields in?"

Drax paused to check. "Everything is working at normal levels except for the engines and Block."

The Doctor made similar checks of his own systems and was satisfied that despite a half empty tank, the Tardis was otherwise in fine fettle. He consulted his monitors and saw that their pursuer was closing and that a change of course was necessary. It seemed prudent if they were to be constantly pursued that they should not stray from the Gallifrey system and its binary stars. He manoeuvred the two crafts carefully in a tight arc that he hoped might surprise the Nightmare Child although he was not sure such a thing was possible.

Was there an intelligence at work behind that crimson eye? Was the creature actually aware or simply dependent on its primary instincts and malevolent greed? It responded to the signals created for it but that was no indication that it was any more than a low level organism with heightened metapsychic capabilities. The test might well come later when they were either able to make the time jump or obliged to stand their ground and fight.

On his screen, he saw the system's largest star loom into view. It was a golden red hue that smouldered like the eye of a mighty dragon in the autumn of its life. Its solar discharges were not violent unless you went too close but the temperature at its core was higher than most stars of its size. With a single burst at full speed, he thrust the Tardis at its glowing mass all the while dragging the immobile Battle Tardis behind.

"Put those force fields up as high as they go," he told Drax. "You might be made of photons too but it will probably get a bit warm where we're going."

"That silver ship we saw was photonic, wasn't it," said Jocasta. "It seemed to be alright inside the Ilium sun."

"That's what I'm hoping," the Doctor called out cheerfully.

Lumen looked at Drax. "Did he say "hoping"?"

The Time Lord laughed. "The Doctor's hoping is better than most people's knowing. When we pass through the sun, his Tardis can absorb a variety of particles and energy that will restore its power cells. It just might make the difference."

"What if the Nightmare Child goes through too? Will it damage the star?" asked Sophia who had returned from the Zero Room with news that Fless was still alive.

"Sadly, it won't matter," replied Drax. "This old sun does not have long to live whatever happens to us."

For the second time in a week, the Tardis plunged into the molten mass of an active star and made for its core. This time, there would be no time for sightseeing and no other vessels would be present apart from the one trailing to its rear. The Doctor kept one eye on the gauges that might indicate any problems and the one on the tractor beam which may find the white-hot plasma ejecta too much to endure. A few seconds passed in the fiery inferno then they were out the other side. No damage reports from either vessel and no sign of the Nightmare Child.

"We did it!" shouted Sophia who had no idea such a thing was possible.


	96. Chapter 97

The Doctor clenched his fist in relief. Power reserve gauges showed full in both main and auxiliary systems. Enough to travel in time, he thought, but not enough to tow a Battle Tardis on the end of a tractor beam. If both he and Drax had power, then they could make the jump one after the other and arrive back at their starting point intact. There was not enough time for the Battle Tardis to refuel naturally so their only chance was the Deep Time Wand which was currently cooling down.

"We aren't being followed," cried Sophia.

"Don't be too sure," replied Lumen, "We are still transmitting that signal."

"Well let's track down the source," said Jocasta who was fed up doing nothing. "It must be here somewhere.

"I'm afraid it is not as easy as that."

Four heads turned simultaneously to stare at the newcomer who was standing just inside the console room. Amos Fless moved forward in small, hesitant steps that spoke of his weakness but not his resolve. That particular characteristic was defined by the particle beam handgun he held out with the barrel pointing menacingly in their direction. Jocasta noticed also that in his other hand was the Deep Time Wand.

"Amos," said Jocasta coolly. "You should be resting."

Fless gave her a tired smile. "For those of you who don't know me, my name is Amos Fless and this is my Tardis. Did you hear that? My Tardis. I fully intend to fly it out of here and when our Dark Life friends have their new god to play with, I shall take my Tardis and celebrate my hard earned immortality across the boundaries of time and space."

It was a grand speech but Jocasta could tell that the effort had cost him. The bags beneath his eyes were dark and puffy and his hair looked thinner than she remembered. His skin was pale with curious red spots all across his forehead. She knew that he was struggling just to stay upright, a fact which worried her greatly. He must be aware of his difficulties and he was certainly no fool. Would he decide that his only chance of retaining his Tardis was to shoot all who could take it from him?

"Amos, we can help you," she said hopefully.

"Yes, you can," he replied without irony. "You can contact the Doctor and tell him that any valiant attempt to interfere with my plans will result in unnecessary death. You, my dear, will be the first."

Jocasta studied the weapon pointed at her and thought that he could shoot her at any time given the tremors running through his fingers. She tried to edge gradually sideways to put the console between them but before she could take a second step, she was horrified to see the gun in his hand discharge with a yellow flash. When her sister Sophia slumped to the floor and did not rise, Jocasta found at first that she could not breathe but then, ignoring the trembling gun, ran to her sister's side to search for signs of life.

"Don't worry, it was only set to stun her but I have not been idle in my recovery. I know about her uncanny telepathic abilities and have no wish to be her puppet," said Fless, waving his gun at the rest of them to deter any reaction.

"Fless, you need to let us help. That Dark Life god of yours is not a god at all and is out to kill us," said Drax who did not look much healthier than the man with the gun.

"First, deactivate that tractor beam," Fless managed. "I don't want the Doctor having any influence over us. Don't look at me like that, Drax, just do it and no more of you need to be hurt."

Drax did as he was told reluctantly. Now they were dead in the water with only thruster speed available. They needed the Deep Time Wand to boost them but he did not know whether to inform Fless that the object he held was so fundamental to their survival. He had quietly silenced the communicator signal but left the channel open so that the Doctor could hear what was going on. He wished fervently that some instructions might transmit the other way to give him some idea what to do.

Fless walked further into the Console Room and regarded his captives. During the many years that he had lived, it had been required upon occasion to threaten and even damage uncooperative humans and, indeed, many other species. Despite this coercive treatment, he had never actually killed anyone and was not sure that he could do it, even if his life depended on it. The gun in his hand shook a little as he stepped up to the console.

"So, Drax," he said. "Why aren't we moving?"

The Time Lord regarded the man who had stolen his DNA to alter his own physical make-up. It was clear that the triple helix addition had enhanced the human's endurance but if the sallow complexion and weary stance was anything to go by, he was struggling to recover from the recent regeneration. Drax wondered what mutations had affected the man's body and what chance it had affected his mind.

"We took a serious hit which drained the systems. The power-up is under way," Drax told him.

Fless moved around the control panel to stand next to the giant mechanoid which had yet to reactivate after the energy feedback. He studied the machine's green eyes which indicated an inert status but not complete shutdown. Block did not react when Fless rapped loudly on its armour plating with the black cylinder but Drax, upon seeing the Deep Time Wand being used so roughly, raised his voice in objection.

"That is a photonic battery you are playing with, Fless. I need that to boost our light drive so we can get out of here."

Amos Fless examined the object in his hand but could find no signs as to its use. He was suspicious of everything in his new sensitive state but was forced to take the Time Lord's word for the device. The pain in his head was growing and the yearning to return to his own time and explore the waiting universe was incessant and undeniable. Fless handed the Wand over but did not step away from the controls. When a huge blast of heated plasma struck the ship with the force of a solar flare, he was just about able to hold on by gripping on to the sturdy mechanoid.

"The Nightmare Child!" Lumen called out. "It's back!"

The great red eye now shrouded once more in diaphanous swathes of white gossamer was closing in at great speed. With Lumen's help, Drax managed to reconnect the Wand into its socket and then slump back against the console. He remembered Sophia's comment regarding the lack of seating on board a Tardis and vowed to install some if they could ever get out of the mess they found themselves in. Fless' problems were not any less uncomfortable as he not only found himself disarmed but also tightly encased in a pair of metal arms.

"I hope you will excuse me, Mr Fless, but time is pressing," said the revived Block, its red eyes stern and uncompromising. In a quirk of fate, the second charge of red energy that struck the Battle Tardis had flooded through the mechanoid's disabled circuits and brought them to life.

"Let me go!" Fless tried to shout.

"Good to see you back, Block," said Lumen with a grin as he retrieved the fallen weapon from the floor.

Fless managed a throaty laugh. "Ha! You wouldn't say that if you only knew. If I told you that the Dark Life signal to their god never came from my Tardis at all but from inside of your pet robot here. Widemind found it very easy to implant through the Battle Tardis systems. You fools! You never had a chance."

"The Nightmare Child is right behind us," yelled Drax.

"We have power but the creature has us," Lumen shouted back.

Tendrils of surprising strength had snaked out from the pursuing beast to grip on to the Battle Tardis. Its photonic composition proved no hindrance to the probing tentacles and as the creature closed, so did its embrace. All on board were staring at the monitors so did not immediately notice when Block, with Fless still locked within its grasp, moved towards the doors and opened them up wide. Only when they heard Fless' screams of terror did they all look around.

"Please accept my apologies," said Block to the stunned assembly. "But the signal is within me and I cannot disable it. The Nightmare Child will be drawn to it. I have arranged for a tachyon shock to pulse through the shields. The creature will be momentarily thrown off while I pass through from within. I hope your journey will be successful. Goodbye."

"Block wait!" cried Lumen.

The mechanoid's red eyes blinked once in farewell and then it threw itself out through the open door with the struggling Fless still pinned to its chest. The momentum sent them spinning away from the hull and just as the repelling tachyons did their job, Block and his travelling companion passed through the force field and out into the cold heart of empty space. The harsh vacuum did not unduly affect the huge machine's robust structure as it sped away into the night. For the less resilient Fless, it was another story.

Nobody on the Battle Tardis moved or spoke. They simply gaped at the blue doors which had slammed shut during the moment the shields went down. Even Sophia, who was slowly recovering her wits after the shock she received, could barely believe what had happened. Drax was the first to react by requesting another stimulant from the dazed Jocasta. She nodded vacantly and went to fetch the Medkit. An urgent buzzing from the communicator soon brought them out of their stupor. It was a message from the Doctor.


	97. Chapter 98

**WHEN THE DARK SUNS RISE**

**PART 2**

**CHAPTER 14**

When the tractor beam connecting the two Tardises had been severed, the Doctor had thought deeply as to how both vessels were going to manage the time jump. They had drifted back to the vicinity of the required starting point but lacked the necessary power to proceed. His own systems had been replenished during their journey through one of Gallifrey's suns but such energy scooping was only a temporary fix that needed to be utilised without delay.

The re-emergence of the Nightmare Child came as no surprise but the still idling Battle Tardis was a major concern, especially if the Wand had been reconnected without positive effect. The Doctor knew that a hardlight Tardis would not have received much benefit from its immersion in the solar radiation so, as no other obvious power source was readily available, much depended upon the mysterious Deep Time Wand to deliver.

No obvious power source available. He considered those words and wondered if that was actually the reality of the situation. There was certainly at least one more supply of energy nearby but the chances of extracting anything from that area seemed remote unless some sort of distraction could be arranged. It was clear Drax was having his own problems so he would have to think of something quickly.

The decision he arrived at did indeed come quickly as had he the time to contemplate further, he might have thought better of it. There was no time for a measured approach. Rapidly, he guided the Tardis to once again stand between the stationary Battle Tardis and the red eyed beast that closed with every second. During his first encounter with the creature, he had learned something of its nature; how it probed its victims mentally to discover their greatest fears. Then it would present that unfortunate with an amplified illusion of the very thing that terrified them. His dread of causing Jocasta harm or even her death had been fed back to him with horrifying clarity.

However, there were questions forming in the Doctor's mind. Had any previous antagonist ever survived its attack and had they been able to use that experience to their advantage? Given the Nightmare Child's current rude health, he thought it unlikely. Nevertheless, he was not unacquainted with the powers of the mind and now that he knew what to expect from confrontation, he might be able to provide the monster with something it found troubling. A victim that fought back. Of course, the red energy blasts it could summon up might prove troublesome but if he could act swiftly enough and meet the creature eye to eye, as it were, there was a chance that he could use that discharge.

So be it, he thought, and defiantly engaged the engines once more. His course would inevitably result in a head-on collision with the Nightmare Child as it homed in upon the enticing signal so he decided a little extra help was required. From a sealed compartment, he brought forth a headband of indeterminate metal studied with red stones that had been mined on a little known planet in a distant galaxy. The device and others like it were banned throughout the universe as anathema to civilised society and devotees of free will.

The Doctor did not pretend to know how it worked. What he did know was that the strange headpiece somehow tapped into the individual's latent metapsychic abilities and magnified their strength a thousandfold. For those with negligible talent, the apparatus merely helped them become more intuitive, more sensitive. Others with more developed psychic powers could be in possession of an awesome advantage. The Doctor had never really bothered to investigate his own particular prowess in that field but he knew it was there and would be considerable.

After just a few moments reflection upon the previous owner's ill-judged attempt to influence a Time Lord and his subsequent invitation to repent at leisure on an isolated asteroid, he placed the silver ringlet on his head and waited for a revelation. When no startling epiphany struck him, he was slightly disappointed. Somehow, he had expected a feeling of indomitable spirit or invincible strength to sweep over him, sending him tearing into battle singing songs of ancient valour. Instead, he found that the cool metal vaguely irritated his forehead and was unreasonably heavy.

"Ah well," he said out loud and the set the controls for a full pelt strike upon his nemesis.

The Tardis built from a low hum to a melodious roar that seemed to mirror the Doctor's thoughts of battle hymns. The red eye with its grasping, smoky fingers extending out in front appeared on the screen pulsating with malicious intent. All the elements were there for a glorious assault that the Doctor, with or without his outlawed circlet, relished to the point of hysteria. In his passion, he could not resist releasing an ancient war cry of which he was inordinately fond.

"Geronimo!" he howled and the Tardis charged.

The gap between the whooping Time Lord and one of most odious entities of the Time War reduced rapidly. The Doctor's path had the Tardis thrusting directly at the creature's centre where he expected to see Jocasta's face once again screaming out her distress. Although that disturbing vision did not assail him, he was not spared the almost overwhelming telepathic bombardment that had so weakened him during their first encounter. It was then that the studded headband started to respond.

At first, all he felt was slightly giddy as the two telepathic influences clashed. Certainly, the Nightmare Child's evil transmissions were immediately reduced in number and intensity. The Doctor's mind soon felt much clearer as the band's strength filled him with energy and resolve. His imagination, hardly uninspired at the worst of times, soared like a Khytos Hawk in the thin atmosphere of Yexley Prime. He felt magnificent and invulnerable under the uplifting influence of the band.

The second thing he noticed was the images that he was able to project back at the red eyed monster now almost upon him. His manifestations were of invincibility; a concept which the beleaguered Nightmare Child was having difficulty in conceiving. It was used to squirming, shrinking creatures emanating waves of distress in the form of psychic energy upon which it fed. This brazen being with its bright mind and objectionable thoughts was unpalatable and infectious. Added to that, it did not try to flee but kept on coming.

The Doctor felt its weakness and cried out in triumph. Somewhere in the background, the Tardis communicator had sprung into life and the events unfolding with Amos Fless on the Battle Tardis were being broadcast. He did not listen. Even when, at the last minute, the Nightmare Child pulled out of its headlong trajectory to investigate another less indigestible source of the alluring signal, the Doctor continued on course, awash with the energetic emotions of victory.

In a strange twist of fate, he was saved from his own unquenchable elation by the Daleks. Two saucers which had been keeping an eye on proceedings, chose that moment to pounce upon the unusual Tardis that had been spurned by the Nightmare Child. The dual blasts struck the blue box at the same time causing it to tumble and spin from its frenetic course. Inside, the Doctor had been too busy singing an old Gallifreyan marching song to take heed of the attack and brace for weapons fire.


	98. Chapter 99

When the Tardis gyrated off course like a shack in a tornado, the Doctor was sent sprawling across the floor to finish up in an untidy heap. The silver circlet had slipped from his head to roll away from his desperate grasp and the pain that followed was breathtaking. The vibrations from the double strike were nothing compared to the shocks ricocheting around his mind after the abrupt removal of the headband. It was like falling from a substantial height through layers of electric clouds that sparked and speared at the sensitive centre of his brain.

Sharp colours zigzagged across his vision as he tried to feel his way about the central control panel. The two saucers fortunately had their work cut out defending themselves against a number of antagonists who had also noticed the Doctor's triumph over the Nightmare Child and were keen to investigate further. The Doctor had adjusted his communications program to screen out all noise or hails from other vessels involved in the Time War apart from the photonic Battle Tardis. It was this vessel that he was trying to contact when he saw what had distracted the Nightmare Child.

After several rapid alterations to speed and course, the Doctor, who was still groggy from the mental jolt he had received, was racing back to the scene where both Block and Amos Fless were being probed by white smoky tendrils. He knew that he would not reach the pair in time to save them from whatever the beast had planned for them. He watched in growing horror as the great red eye examined the source of the signal it had been chasing.

The Nightmare Child was for the second time to be disappointed. Of the two beings in its grasp, the organic one, had ceased to function while the mechanical construct was emptying its arsenal of hand weapons in a useless display of resistance. Neither could provide the psychic nutrition that the creature craved so their continued presence was simply an inconvenience. From the central eye, a crimson ray of focussed energy struck the two of them with devastating ferocity. A second later, the only evidence that either Block or Amos Fless had ever existed were a few stray atoms floating in the blackness.

The Doctor thumped his hand down hard on the console in frustration and anger. He had liked the amiable mechanoid from the very beginning and even Fless hadn't been the monster he had first thought. Now there was only one thing for it. He had to get Battle Tardis as well his own to make the time jump before the Nightmare Child resumed its interest in the one remaining signal that called it.

"Drax, can you hear me?" he shouted.

"Yes, Doctor. The overflow of energy from Block's destruction has replenished our reserves. We have power now. We can make the jump," Drax yelled back.

"What happened with Block?"

"Fless said that beacon calling the Nightmare Child was hidden in its programming. Block took Fless through the doors before anyone knew what was happening."

"How did the signal get there?"

"Widemind implanted it."

There were several seconds when nobody spoke. The Doctor had felt sorry for the precocious AI when it had told its tale of alienation and isolation. He had foolishly assumed that the great intellect was above things like deception and intrigue in its search for truth. He should have known better. After all, the Daleks were little more than intelligent machines and there were no depths to which they would not sink.

"Are your temporal engines on line?" the Doctor asked yet another question.

"We are ready to go," answered Drax.

Another urgent voice cut in. "Doctor! The Nightmare Child is coming up fast right behind you!"

The Doctor checked his screens and confirmed Lumen's warning. He reached for the communicator once more and spoke calmly.

"Drax, get ready. Tell Sophia to contact the Elders as soon as you get through. You have to get that De-mat Gun attached again. It's vital. You know what to do then."

"You will be right behind, I trust."

The Doctor smiled to himself. "We shouldn't jump too close together. I'll give it thirty seconds and then follow. Now go!"

The Battle Tardis glowed a rich royal blue as its photonic engines responded to the boost from the Deep Time Wand. The Doctor watched it pulse with vitality once, then twice before vanishing into the Time Vortex within a flash of white light. He sighed with satisfaction as he viewed the now empty patch of space and was about to turn his attention to the scarlet hued eye that was rapidly approaching when a totally unexpected thing happened.

"I hope you aren't thinking of staying behind because I don't think this is going to be my favourite vacation spot," said Jocasta Gold, her eyes sparkling.

The Doctor could not be angry at her impetuosity although he would certainly be having a word with the reckless Time Agent who was standing beside her, grinning. Now there was no time. Instead, he motioned them to opposite sides of the console to operate various necessary functions. He estimated the time they had before the Nightmare Child was upon them to be eight seconds. The first three were consumed by nervous fingers on buttons. The next two passed in a burst of acceleration that had them racing away from the time jump point at considerable speed. The final three saw them arcing around in a tight parabola that brought them right up behind the Nightmare Child which had yet to react to the manoeuvre.

"You two! Into the Zero Room now. Its telepathic emanations won't reach you in there," the Doctor instructed.

"What about you?" asked Jocasta as she ran across the room.

"Don't worry about me," he laughed. "The Nightmare Child and I have become close friends."

The two young people left the console room to take refuge back in the protected chamber. The Doctor did not have time to watch them leave. He had briefly considered scouring the floor for the missing headband but something told him that the potent device may be as much a danger as the creature he now pursued. The way forward was clear. He could no longer lure the beast away as he had originally planned. Now he had to make the jump quickly to get the loyal if infuriating pair safely home.


	99. Chapter 100

The Tardis responded to his commands and shifted forward to move directly behind the Nightmare Child which had finally sensed his approach. It made the required half turn but remained still as it focussed its livid eye into a direct stare. The Doctor felt the telepathic intrusions once more but this time did not need the studded circlet to retaliate. His mind was steady. He knew no fear. The creature's attacks were predictable and despite its name, he could sense its great age and great weariness.

Into his mind, he thrust images of the magnificence of his home Gallifrey and the brilliance of its grand themes. He thought of hope and trust as well as the boundless optimism that epitomized the Time Lords in their exquisite civilisation and their benign dreams of universal harmony. The Doctor filled himself with tranquillity and calm with the grace of benevolence that every Time Lord had possessed at least at one time in their long lives. He showed the Nightmare Child peace, and the creature rejected it.

The red eyed burned like a feverish star as it writhed in the Doctor's inspiration. Its gossamer tentacles reared up in abject hatred, struggling to free itself from the paralysing serenity. It shuddered and spat out red energy which in its confusion missed its target by some distance. Quick as a flash, the Doctor engaged his temporal engines and taking advantage of the creature's turmoil, entered into the time jump. The Tardis leaped gratefully into the swirl of the Time Vortex and at last headed back to real time. In his relief, he failed to notice a hazy white tendril thrust itself tenaciously into the Tardis' slipstream.

Drax had not really known what sort of reception they might get from the Dark Life cultists who were eagerly expecting delivery of their long lost god by Amos Fless. Conceivably, the rejected AI may have communicated its expulsion from the mission to the waiting silver ships but it was not clear what sort of damage Widemind had sustained from the exotic virus introduced into its systems. From what Drax knew of the Deep Time Wand and its potency, the chances were that the AI had returned to the moon, Shalinedes, to lick its wounds.

Still, a Battle Tardis had made the time jump and a Battle Tardis had returned. It was possible that the cultists would only be interested in the emergence of the anticipated deity and would pay little attention to the ship that had made it possible. When the Doctor's Tardis appeared close behind, they might yet be unconcerned but as it became clear that no Dark Life legend was about to materialise in its wake, then questions would likely be asked. Drax checked on his depleted armoury and wondered how these questions might be answered.

During their journey through the Time Vortex, he had spent a few minutes talking to Sophia to confirm two things. First, he wanted to know if she had fully recovered from Fless' incapacitating shot to which he received a positive response but suspected the blow had shaken her more than she would admit. Second, he reiterated the Doctor's instructions that she should attempt contact with the Dark Life Elders as soon as they got back. It seemed likely that some assistance might be needed back in real time where allies might be thin on the ground. Sophia had nodded and promised to do what she could.

Drax did not tax her any further. The girl was not used to such harsh realities that had been her life just recently and a short period of quiet might help recharge her batteries to face what might be another tough test in the minutes ahead. He also knew that the wound in his chest had affected both of his hearts so the likelihood of him living through it was minimal even if no violence ensued. His death would cause her distress, he knew, and maybe his decision to refuse the regeneration would upset her still more but the Nightmare Child had showed him what he could become and that fate would be the most disturbing of all.

One last stimulant from the Medkit would be enough to keep him together until it was no longer necessary. Drax administered the drug and felt its restorative chemicals take effect almost immediately. He made a few last minute adjustments to the controls and then the bright blue Battle Tardis burst from the restraints of the Time Vortex to appear once more back at the point from which it had started its journey into the Time War. Several scenarios had crossed his mind as to what might happen at this stage but the one that confronted him had not been one of them.

Certainly, the giant De-mat Gun was still present, floating serenely like a piece of shining space debris reflecting back the stars. Equally unsurprising were the three silver ships still occupying the same positions apparently waiting patiently for what they hoped would be a singular, religious experience. What was not expected nor, indeed, welcome was the sight of an argent fleet of additional ships which had suddenly arrived out of nowhere to take their place at the edge of the drama. Drax waited for some reaction to the re-emergence of the Battle Tardis but all was calm and eerily silent.

"Can you make contact?" he asked Sophia gently but the girl had her eyes closed and was oblivious to his enquiry.

Drax knew that he could not just wait to be blown out of space so he manoeuvred the Battle Tardis around until it came to rest just beneath the De-mat Gun. Connecting with the weapon would take only a few seconds if he could just isolate the controls that initiated the procedure. He was not a seasoned pilot of the militarised Tardis and was not acquainted with every function on the Battle Bridge. After several failed attempts which included activating and swiftly deactivating the self-destruct mechanism, he finally located the roof adaptor circuits and commenced with the link up.

While he was doing this, several things happened all at once. Sophia reported that she had successfully contacted the Elders and it was their armada of silver ships that had recently arrived to view the proceedings. She revealed that they had known of the cultist's plan to liberate their god from the Time War but had only just reached agreement as how to respond. Bureaucracy was not exclusive to the White Light Universe, it seemed. Apparently, they were pleased with Sophia's efforts in engaging two Time Lords to represent their interests.

Drax raised an eyebrow at the young girl who simply shrugged and sank back into her meditative state. He was about to ask her some questions regarding her recruitment procedures when the Doctor's Tardis materialised, still moving in its haste to escape the Time Vortex. Immediately, the communicator buzzed into life and the Doctor's words were loud and portentous.

"Drax! Can you hear me, Drax? You have to fire the De-mat. The Nightmare Child is right behind me. Sophia, if any of these spectators are your friends, tell them that the creature they are about to see is no god and has to be pushed back into the vortex before it materialises fully."

"They heard you, Doctor, but they will not open fire until they see what is coming," said Sophia.


	100. Chapter 101

The Doctor swallowed an expletive. "Drax, what about the gun?"

"It's attached but has to power up. It still has energy stored from the last time it was used but I don't know if there will be enough to close the Time-lock," Drax replied, his hearts beating uncomfortably fast.

Into the starlit space where Gallifrey had once proudly shone, the curling, groping tentacles of the Nightmare Child were emerging into the universe with sinister intent. Its blood-red eye, still pink and indistinct as it struggled to gain form was nonetheless focussed and lethal to all who gazed into it. For those aboard the two Tardises, nothing would persuade them to stare into its awful, crimson depths again but for the occupants of the silver ships, it was a different story.

Some stared ahead in helpless adoration as they endeavoured to glimpse the splendour of an ancient god who could only be benevolent and worthy of devotion. As the Nightmare Child's venomous telepathy reached their fevered brains, they screamed in agony at the sight of such a malevolent demon. A few immediately succumbed to the shock, others simply surrendered their sanity and fed the creature the last of their reason. Sefelzinar, the much vaunted god of dreams, was clearly a bringer of nightmares too.

On board the ships apparently navigated by the Elders, the disciplines of logic and rationality were being sorely tested too. Undoubtedly, many different visions of cloudy hells and fiery demise stretched their determination to the point of collapse leading more than one of those lofty Dark Life paragons to throw themselves to the floor in frothing heaps of broken resolve. Those with stronger wills simply gaped open mouthed at the source of their terror, rigid and motionless as they fought their personal battles for survival.

With the amount of psychic energy suddenly available to ingest, the Nightmare Child sensed an opportunity as its strength surged and new vitality reached its very tips. The central eye was now only a few degrees short of its full, scarlet intensity and when that great rush of invigorating nourishment fuelled by the primal fear tearing through its victims finally washed over it, the creature's potency would be enriched and unstoppable. It was ruthless in its pursuit of vigour and merciless in its methods as all true predators must be.

"Drax!" the Doctor shouted impatiently. "The De-mat, you have to fire it."

There was no answer to his hail. He tried again but with the same results. Everything was in place. He could see the great weapon perched on the roof of the Battle Tardis glowing with power and apparently ready to discharge. It was even lined up correctly so why didn't Drax fire? He tried the communicator again and this time heard the distraught voice of Sophia sobbing out a disturbing message,

"It's Drax!" she wailed. "He's collapsed. I think he's dead."

The Doctor looked frantically around him. "Lumen! Give me your Vortex Manipulator!"

The Time Agent looked stunned. "But I thought you didn't..."

"No time!" snapped the Doctor, taking the proffered wristband. "You stay here and mind the Tardis. Jocasta, you're with me."

In a matter of seconds, the Doctor and his young companion had left the gaping Lumen behind and materialised aboard the Battle Tardis. Jocasta went immediately to her sister and set about trying to help the ailing Drax who was not dead but sinking rapidly into a coma from which he might not rise. At least, not in the form that he currently held. At Jocasta's urging, both girls managed to haul the inert Time Lord away to the Zero Room where some stability might be brought to his condition.

Jocasta left her sister to care for him while she returned to see how the Doctor was faring. Not especially well if the amount of appeals, complaints, curses and threats echoing around the Console Room was anything to go by. She watched him repeatedly press a square, black pad in the centre of the main control panel and then stare up at the monitor with a look of desperation on his face.

"Why won't it fire?" he yelled at the screen.

"Maybe it doesn't like you," answered Jocasta who had not understood all the languages the Doctor had used but knew from the inflection that the words were not complimentary.

The Doctor gaped at her. "Of course! Jocasta, you are a genius."

As he ran around the console, he stopped momentarily to kiss her on top of the head and then raced on to a panel on the far side. For a second, she thought that he had lost his balance and toppled over but he soon reappeared with a smile on his face and a long, dark cylinder held up triumphantly in his hand. He waved at her and the disappeared once again. Although she could not see him, she could hear what he said.

"You were right, of course. It didn't like me. Drax plugged in the Deep Time Wand and so only Drax could call upon it to provide the necessary power to fire the gun," he almost sang.

"So what's happening now?" asked Jocasta, trying to keep up with his darting body and racing mind.

"Well, I unplugged the Wand and reintroduced myself to it. My touch was recognised and so now it is reconnected to the Battle Tardis. Now we shall see."

The Doctor threw himself across the console and smashed his fist down on the trigger panel. A mighty hum filled the air and finally, finally the De-mat Gun fired a colossal bolt of super-energy at spot where Gallifrey had once resided and the Nightmare Child now struggled to find its ground. A blinding flash of white light, fortunately filtered by the sensitive screens, erupted from the impact zone and for a moment, nothing could be seen but its afterglow. When the energetic point in space had calmed down, the Doctor could see that the De-mat Gun was still firing but the Nightmare Child had not retreated from the onslaught.

"There's not enough power!" he groaned.


	101. Chapter 102

Jocasta tore her eyes from the screen to study the Doctor. His expression was more than disappointment; it was a look of utter dejection. His shoulders sagged, his hands hung limp at his side and in his eyes was desperation and maybe even defeat. She was just about to go to him, make him understand that he had done everything possible to stop the creature and that none of this was his fault when he suddenly straightened up like a re-energised toy soldier and slapped one palm across his forehead.

"Where is Sophia?" he asked, turning his head in every direction.

"She's with Drax," replied Jocasta in surprise,

"Quickly! You have to get her here."

Before Jocasta had a chance to scurry off to the Zero Room, her sister walked into the Console Room looking almost as bereft as the Doctor had done a few seconds earlier. She brushed her hand over Jocasta's arm and then moved on to stand before the Doctor.

"He's dying," she said simply.

The Doctor somehow mastered his great urgency to take the girl's hand in his own and squeeze it affectionately. Then he let it go, tipped up her chin so that she looked into his eyes and then he spoke.

"I will do everything I can for him, I promise. But first there is something vitally important that I need you to do."

Sophia glanced uneasily over at her sister and then back to the Doctor.

"I don't know how I can help," she said sadly.

The Doctor grasped her hand again. "The De-mat Gun is firing stored up dark energy as well as the power provided by the Deep Time Wand. We need more. I think that those Dark Life ships could provide it. Can you contact them and tell them to open fire on the Nightmare Child? They must know it is no god of theirs by now."

The girl nodded and closed her eyes. Jocasta did the same in the hope that her thoughts might emphasise those of her sister's. When they completed their request, both girls and the Doctor studied the monitor anxiously awaiting the answer. All three of them joined hands as they watched the mad red eye of the Nightmare Child throbbing with defiance as it slowly started to advance once again despite the intense bombardment from the De-matt Gun.

The seconds ticked away like drumbeats as the silver fleet remained dormant. Each vessel hung silently in space, neither advancing nor withdrawing and more importantly, without firing. The Doctor asked Sophia if her message had been received and understood to which the girl just nodded and carried on staring at the screen. The Console Room on the Battle Tardis had become a quiet, gloomy place so when the roar and spark of a hundred Dark Life ships unleashing a stupendous volley of raw energy suddenly filled the room, all three of its occupants jumped in alarm at the change.

The Nightmare Child did not know what had hit it and despite its recent increase in stamina and determination, was no match for the combined offensive of two fronts. The livid eye flared in its outrage and pain but gradually the sinuous white tendrils began to withdraw until they disappeared completely from sight. Once more the central orb pulsed its hatred but the gesture was futile. In a final flicker of malign detestation, the Nightmare Child sank back into the Time Vortex and into memory. For a second time, despite the soundless vacuum of space around them, they thought to hear the Time-lock activate. This time it was slamming shut.

The Doctor switched off the overheating De-mat Gun just as the Dark Life armada ceased firing. He noted with satisfaction that even the renegade ships had loosed their severest blows upon the entity that they had thought to be their god. The dark light signal devised by Widemind had indeed attracted the creature but whether that meant that the Nightmare Child had once been of Dark Life origin or simply a ravenous beast in search of new prey, no one really knew. What he did know was that such a thing deserved to be locked away in a hostile environment and the Time War was just the place for its malevolence.

Jocasta and Sophia were still holding on tight to each other's hand and for one, the tension and nervous energy were slowly being replaced by muscle-loosening relief. In the other, a wretched despondency still festered as the first friend she had truly known in her whole life lay dying in another room. Jocasta saw her sister's pain but did not know what she could do to alleviate it. Anxiously, she glanced around to seek out the Doctor and pleaded with her eyes for his help. In the event, that salvation came from an entirely unexpected quarter.

Sophia abruptly broke contact with her sister and hurried away back towards the Zero Room, a startled expression on her face. The Doctor and Jocasta watched her go but did not follow. Lumen's excited transmissions were finally answered with the Doctor promising to return when something had been devised to comfort Drax. He knew little of mutant regeneration but enough to realise that a constant deterioration after each change could only end in painful death. He wondered if his old friend would reject the regeneration and accept a peaceful end.

"Can we do anything for him?" asked Jocasta who had also been thinking of the fading Time Lord.

The Doctor shook his head. "If he chooses to regenerate, we had best get your sister out of there. The change may well be distressing and perhaps even dangerous."

Jocasta was about to send Sophia a telepathic summons when the girl herself came bustling back into the Console Room. Her entire demeanour had changed from the depressed resignation of a few minutes ago to an effervescent excitement that suggested a dramatic change in circumstances. Jocasta had respected her sister's privacy and grief so hadn't intruded on her thoughts when she had returned to the Zero Room. Now she wished that she too had witnessed the miracle that had so transformed the younger girl.

"They can save him!" Sophia shouted and threw her arms about her sister's neck.

The Doctor turned sharply to face her. "The Elders? How?"

Sophia looked over her sister's shoulder at the Time Lord who looked drained by the stress of the last few days. She didn't blame him for his scepticism. Dark Life had not exactly shown of their best in recent times and although it was an unsupported faction that had acted in such a callous and brutal manner, the thought of trusting his friend Drax to their care would not be an easy one. She walked towards him and grasped his hand in what she hoped was a reassuring gesture.

"If he regenerates again, there is no telling what he may turn into. If he refuses the process, he will die," she told him flatly and received a confirming nod.

Sophia pressed on. "They say that there is a way for him to regenerate safely. When I was aboard that silver ship, they integrated my system with Dark Life DNA. They say that if Drax undergoes the same procedure then not only can they prevent him from dying now but also ensure that future changes will not harm him."

The Doctor regarded the girl and considered what she had said. Drax was an old friend who had saved his life inside the caverns on Androzani Minor and so he wasn't about to let him become the experiment of some alien race. Drax was currently unable to voice an opinion and as they were the only two surviving Time Lords in the universe, he felt an obligation to protect his interests.


	102. Chapter 103

"Maybe you're right, Sophia. Perhaps they can save him but he will lose everything that makes him what he is. He will no longer be a Time Lord."

Sophia squeezed his hand again. "No, you're wrong. He will not lose everything. He will still be a Time Lord. A healthy Time Lord who will be sustained by Dark Life genetics and technology forever. And what is more, he will have a whole new universe to explore. The Dark Life universe. He can go where even you cannot."

"And what about you, sister?" asked Jocasta who had been listening to this exchange with mounting anxiety.

"I cannot stay in the White Light Universe, Jocasta," Sophia told her. "I must return and I will go with Drax to see the dark stars. You have the Doctor but we will always be able to contact each other, wherever we are."

Their conversation was interrupted by Lumen on the communicator who was watching the fleet of silver ships, including the renegade vessels, turning away to leave the system. Each craft moved only a short distance before shimmering in the golden red light of the sun and then fading from view as they reverted to their dark energy forms. Even the De-mat Gun which had been disengaged from the Battle Tardis roof rippled like a desert mirage before vanishing.

"So I suppose "sorry we tried to blow up one of your galaxies" was a bit too much to hope for," the Time Agent observed cynically.

Sophia turned to the Doctor once more. "That is why they wish to help Drax. A gesture to show they are not insensitive. To demonstrate that they understand a basic level of decency exists among civilised species in any and every universe."

"But they are leaving," said Jocasta.

"One ship remains. They await the Doctor's decision on his friend Drax," said Sophia softly.

And there it was, the Doctor thought bitterly. The choice lay with him. Let his friend die? Let the only other surviving Gallifreyan in the universe die or allow him to be turned into something else, something different. For a selfish moment, he thought about once again being the only Time Lord left to wander the stars and then realised that even if that were true, he had got used to the solitude long ago. Anyway, Time Lords had a knack of turning up in the most unlikely places even when everyone thought they were all dead.

"Can you get into his mind?" he asked. "Can you ask him what he wants to do?

Sophia shook her head. "He is deep in a coma and cannot be reached. I do not presume to know him on our short acquaintance but I think he has been looking for something for a long time. The episode with Queen Bat's milk showed what lengths he would go to. Maybe this would be the new start he wanted. A new adventure."

"How long will it take?"

"A few hours. They have improved their technique since I was with them."

The Doctor looked at Jocasta who simply nodded her head. There were tears in her eyes which he didn't think he had ever seen before. A full minute passed as he returned his attention to the monitor and gazed into space.

"Alright," he decided. "But if he wakes up and wants to kill someone, I'm sending him to you."

Both sisters smiled and embraced. The Doctor stood watching them and hoped he had done the right thing.

"I hope you remembered to reacquaint yourself with the Deep Time Wand," the Doctor said into the communicator onboard his own Tardis.

"I did, and I want to thank you for letting me keep it. It's probably the only thing that will keep this bucket of photons together," answered Drax who had returned to the Battle Tardis none the worse for wear.

"As that Tardis is bonded to you, it seemed only natural for you to take the Wand as well. Wouldn't want it falling into the wrong hands."

"How do you feel?" asked Jocasta.

"Couldn't be better, actually," said Drax happily. "I might not have Sophia's telepathic powers but I feel strong. Both hearts are in working order and the Elders assure me that if I have to regenerate, I won't turn into a dragon."

The Doctor smiled at the screen. "Where will you go?"

"Sophia has been in long talks with the Elders. They told her that the dark energy that was introduced to the Battle Tardis by the renegades will allow it to transform, much like the silver ships do. We can travel to the worlds of dark matter and energy and for short periods, return to the White Light Universe too," Drax told them.

"Sounds like fun," said Jocasta with a little laugh.

Sophia grinned and sent a telepathic message to her sister.

"_Oh it will be, dear sister. And the best bit is that you and I need never be apart again."_

"_Well, I might need just a few moments to myself, once in a while."_

"_Oh yes? What sort of things are you going to get up to that I shouldn't know about?"_

"_Never you mind. You're my sister, not my mother."_


	103. Chapter 104

The Doctor noticed that the look on Jocasta's face when she was mentally communicating with her sister had changed from an expression of pained concentration to one of peaceful calm as she had got used to the discipline. He was glad that Drax had not developed this ability after his transformation as he could imagine that his friend may not be able to resist transmitting his every new experience to the only other being in existence that could receive it. Another Time Lord.

The two girls continued their silent conversation for a few more minutes and then said their goodbyes. Agent Lumen, who had joined the Doctor and Jocasta on the Tardis bridge, made his verbal farewells and then retired to a corner to answer a message on his wristband. Drax engaged the powerful engines of the Battle Tardis and adjusted the controls for the short but novel journey to Dark Life space. He looked up at his screen where the Doctor's face stared back with a reassuring grin and then with a slight nod in return, activated the drive mechanism.

The Doctor and Jocasta watched the bright blue box glow for a second and then gradually fade into black. The space it left in its wake rippled for a second and then slowly refilled with stars. Jocasta took the Doctor's arm and laid her head on his shoulder. For a few seconds, their thoughts followed the Battle Tardis on its journey then they returned to their own surroundings and their own, as yet, unspoken plans. Lumen wandered over to stand beside them looking rather sheepish, as if he had been caught out in something illicit.

"The Time Agency has been in touch. They have a new mission for me back on the Helix University," he said with not a little disappointment.

"So, now that you have your instructions, are you going to arrest me?" asked the Doctor innocently.

Lumen's cheeks reddened. "Agent Vance said that I would be remiss in my duties if I didn't but as she hasn't yet saved the universe and you have, I think I will let you off with a caution.

The Doctor smiled. "You played your part, Agent Lumen. Everybody did,"

"Thank you. I just wish Block was still here. I should have liked to have shaken his big metal hand."

"Then shake mine," said the Doctor. "And good luck with your mission."

Agent Vincent Lumen did just that and was then taken slightly by surprise when Jocasta threw her arms around his neck and kissed him hard on the cheek. He returned her embrace enthusiastically and then stepped away to tap the buttons on his Vortex Manipulator. He glanced up from his wrist display and then waved.

"Goodbye," he said simply.

"Good luck," the Doctor and Jocasta chorused.

"Well then," said the Doctor as he tweaked a few levers on his own console. "Any requests?"

"Do you know "Another Brick in the Wall"?" she giggled, remembering his fondness for the ancient Earth classics.

The Doctor ignored the teasing. "Talking of walls, I had a message from the Helix myself. It seems that my virus has laid our friend Widemind low. It has erected an energy shield that won't allow anyone near it and all communications are ignored. They think that it has lapsed back into its former madness."

"Can't say I'm sorry," sniffed Jocasta. "It caused us a lot of trouble."

"So, without any further musical jokes, Joke. Where do you want to go?

Jocasta raised an eyebrow at the nickname. "How about twenty fifth century Earth? There is a group of women there who have rather a good idea. If they meet you, they intend to kill you."

"Nothing unusual about that," the Doctor said peevishly.

"Ah, but these ones want to kill you over and over until you regenerate as a woman and fulfil your destiny."

"Perhaps another time then," said the Doctor and then thrust two levers forward to set the Tardis in motion. The engines groaned into life and seconds later, the blue box was hurtling through time and space with no particular place to go.

On the small, dry moon, Shalinedes, a voice generated by damaged circuits forced itself up through the lifeless rock, out into the silent voids of interplanetary space. It was weak but grew with each repeated syllable until it was a snarling bellow. Gradually, it reduced once more to a singsong, taunting whine that radiated out into the depths of night. It broadcasted its message on an obscure frequency but it was there, and despite its pitiful moan, the AI was mad as Hell.

"I see you, Doctor. I hear you, Doctor. I feel you, Doctor. Do not forget me, Doctor for I will not forget you. Doctor."

THE END


End file.
